Flesh & Blood
by riemayu
Summary: Sequel to Shelter in the Storm:The pack assumed their lives were finally returning to normal after the Cullen's left. Following a mysterious accident which causes Bella to feel compelled to return to Forks, not only does the Cullen's presence cause adverse affects on the next generation of the Quileute's, but they also draw the attention of Aro, who never forgot Jacob's son, Nate.
1. Chapter 1

A/N - Thank you to all those who are willing to come along for another ride with this sequel to 'Shelter in the Storm'. It will pick up approximately 5 to 5.5 years after the conclusion of 'Shelter in the Storm'.

All disclaimers apply...the only characters belonging to myself are the ones outside of the Twilight franchise.

* * *

Flesh & Blood

by Riemayu

His paws pounded hard and quick against the wet earth, kicking up mud in their wake as flames licked at him while he ran. The entire forest was engulfed within the fire and despite the thick smoke that surrounded him, he could still smell the vampires in the woods. His heart pounded in his ears, urging him to move faster that he ever had. Jacob hadn't felt fear like this in years. Waking up in the night to hear his son screaming from his bed, only to burst into the room to find it empty and the overpowering stench of a vampire left behind, caused Jacob to instantly lose the incredible control that he had over his wolf. It had been years since he had phased. Knowing that his oldest son was in the company of their natural enemy brought the anger of his inner wolf instantly back to the surface and to the point where he willed it to once again take over.

The attack against them had been a surprise, yet they were always aware that something like this could happen. The entire pack knew that the Volturi were not only aware of their existence, but also that the Alpha's infant son that Aro had seen years prior could potentially carry the same gene to one day shape shift. But after years of nothing, the Volturi suddenly chose now to attack. It angered the alpha wolf within him to no end that they had been so foolish to think that the Volturi would have given up. The Cullen's had assured them that they would alert them should there ever be a concern that the Volturi would be coming.

And there was no warning.

The pack would burn the Volturi for stepping back onto their land and taking a child. In a strange twist, the same creatures that could be destroyed by fire had engulfed the entire reservation in flames to further cover their tracks and ease their escape with Jacob's son, Nate.

Jacob wasn't surprised to find his wife, Jo suddenly racing through the trees before she came up beside him, flanking him to his right as he had taught her how years prior. Her own anger, fear and frustration coursed through their mental connection as much as it flooded his own mind.

 _'We'll find him_ ,' she thought, yet he knew that she was telling herself as much as she was attempting to alleviate his fears. ' _They couldn't have gotten too far. The stench is still too strong.'_

Upon hearing a howl to the west, he turned his head and came to a stop. He saw nothing but flames quickly climbing up the tall trees around them.

' _What's wrong? We have to keep going!_ ' Jo shouted at him in her mind, as she continued to pace anxiously.

' _That's Quil_ ,' he thought, recognizing the howl yet he was concerned as to why he was unable to hear him in his head as he should have. Surprisingly, Jo didn't seem to be at all concerned.

Soon, a chorus of unearthly howls seemed to echo around him. His keen ear could identify each and every one for whom they belonged to...Leah, Jared, Paul, Sam, Embry, Quil, Brady, Collin...and yet, their mental presence was silent in his mind. A deep fear and near panic welled up within the human part of him as he stood within the burning forest.

The pack was gone.

Confused and afraid, Jacob turned to Jo, surprised to find that she had disappeared not only from his vision but from his mind as well. Just as he quickly looked around for her, a sharp scream sliced through the night.

"DADDY! HELP ME!"

The frantic screams of his daughter caused his wolf to whine before turning his nose to the air, searching desperately for her scent that he'd recognize anywhere amongst the dense forest, smoke or no smoke.

Nothing.

A snarl ripped through his throat. Not only was his pack destroyed, and Nate was swept out from underneath his nose as he slept but they also took his little Sarah as well.

When he suddenly caught a certain pungeant aroma in the air, he turned to see a man standing in the distance; a red cloak concealing his identity as he stood among the fire like a demon out of hell itself. Jacob didn't need to see his eyes to know that he wasn't even a man. He was evil incarnate;the Volturi.

A growl erupted from within the wolf as he snarled, but he was quickly taken aback when he saw his seven year old son appear in the darkness and move to stand beside the faceless vampire.

Nate didn't look up. The bangs of his dark, unruly hair fell over his eyes like a curtain as he kept his gaze on the ground, the heavy oppression clearly evident in his stance. Nate looked up at his father when the vampire standing behind him suddenly placed his hand on his shoulder.

"Dad, you weren't ready. You could have saved us all, but you're too late."

Confusion and pain swept over Jacob as he heard his son utter the words while the cloaked vampire pulled back the hood, revealing a face that Jacob prayed he'd never encounter again.

Aro.

A smile appeared on the vampire's face.

"You have nothing! You're alone! Your pack; your tribe; your family are gone. Your children belong to me, mighty Alpha. Everything they are and will be; forever will belong to the Volturi."

"Jake!"

The wolf whined.

Jo's familiar voice echoed in the dense forest as Aro smiled maliciously back at him and the flames licked at his heels.

"Jake! Wake up!"

The sharp voice calling to him shattered the images that surrounded him. Jacob startled, and pushed himself up slightly as his eyes suddenly opened, taking in the dim room around him. He was no longer in the woods. And he knew instantly that he was in human form. Jacob was certain that he could still feel the heat of the fire, as though it had been burning right beside him. It took him a moment to realize that he had been sleeping on his couch and it was all one horrible dream.

The silence of his home along with the toys and books that littered the living room floor and the basket of folded baby clothes in the laundry basket at his feet reassured him. The television was on, playing a recap of the 11 o'clock news, casting a soft glow in the room.

Jo smiled sympathetically at him as Jacob ran his hands over his face, trying to erase the images that he had seen in his mind. She reached for the remote beside him and turned off the television, enveloping them both in the darkness of the night.

"What time is it?"

"Just past 2 in the morning," she told him. "I just finished nursing Liam. He's back asleep and in bed, which is where you should be."

Jacob nodded in agreement and pushed himself up to stand. Jo reached out to him as she watched his face. Even in the darkness, her keen eyes could read his expression. Jacob looked exhausted and something seemed to be troubling him.

"Did the elders meeting run late?"

"Yeah," Jacob replied softly. "We went over by an hour or so."

Billy had been grooming Jacob for the past few years to eventually take over his position as an elder within the tribe. Billy wasn't intending to relinquish his position until he passed away, and quipped often that he was determined to live until he was at least 100. With his determination, no one doubted that the unofficial chief would hit that milestone. But still, Old Quil had thought it best to start the next generation sooner than later, especially given Harry Clearwater's unprecedented death nearly 8 years earlier. Due to this, Jacob wasn't the only one who was now required to attend these meetings. Quil had come with his grandfather and Seth came along with his Mom to represent the Clearwater family.

"What happened? You look like you're carrying the weight of the world on your shoulders."

Jacob chuckled, recalling how he had told his Dad, the elders, Quil and Seth that Jo would know something is wrong the moment she saw him despite how much he'd try to hide it. It was not just the imprint but the fact that she was his wife and sometimes knew him better than he did himself. Still, at the meeting, he was told that until the situation could be ratified, that no one within the tribe, beyond the few pack members who were still shape shifting and the eldership, was to know what they had discussed that night - what Quil, Brady and Collin had discovered earlier that night once again.

The scent of an unknown vampire on Quilleute land.

"Nothing big," he replied. "Quil and Seth went off topic a few times, like usual, and I was wide awake when I came home. I thought a little TV would help me to relax a bit."

In fact, he had turned on the TV in concern that perhaps the nomad vampire was leaving his or her footprint on the area in the way of deaths. Either than a string of robberies in Port Angeles, nothing seemed out of the ordinary. Jacob had eventually fallen asleep while listening to the weather reports. He had no idea how tired and stressed he really was until he had sat down.

Jo smirked. "Looks like it did more than that. That must have been quite a dream."

Jacob took her hand and brought it to his lips, kissing her knuckles.

"More like a nightmare," he told her. "I appreciate you saving me and waking me up from it."

Jo smiled weakly before bringing her other hand up to Jacob's face, her eyes scrutinizing his own. She could see it in his face. Something wasn't right and he seemed determined to avoid talking about it.

"But something is still bothering you."

Jacob smiled and shook his head, as he went ahead and changed the subject. "The only thing that is wrong right now is that I'm keeping you up. And I thought Liam was finally sleeping through the night. This is the third night now that he's been doing this."

Jo decided to drop the matter and sighed deeply before she shrugged.

"He's four months old. He must be going through a growth spurt. All he's been doing lately is nursing and sleeping on me. It feels like he's been attached to my boobs all day lately."

Jacob chuckled at her words as he tugged on Jo's hand, leading her down the hallway. It wasn't until he heard a sound coming from a closed door that he stopped. It wasn't anything that caused his inner wolf to become concerned, but still it wasn't a sound that he liked. He looked to Jo.

"It's Nate again," she said softly with a sigh. "His allergies were acting up tonight and he's been coughing a lot since he's gone to bed."

Jo reached to open the door.

"He's probably going to be needing his medication again."

Jacob quickly and gently pulled her hand from the door knob.

"You head on to bed," he told her softly with a smile. "I'll check on him."

The nightmare still weighed heavily on his mind and not only did Jacob need to see with his own eyes that his children were safe, but his wolf, whom he hadn't shape shifted into for years still insisted on it.

"Jake, you're working in a few hours."

"And you have been up with Liam in the night for the past few days," Jacob argued, pulling her hand and ultimately Jo, closer to him. "I'll give Nate his meds and I assure you that I'll go right to bed afterwards."

Jo snickered, her face inches from Jacob's and saw his smirk. "I'll be holding you to that, Mr. Black."

Jacob watched Jo as she walked quietly back down the hallway towards their bedroom before he opened the door in front of him. He could smell the familiar scent before he even had the door fully open. It instantly relaxed his inner wolf. His kids were there and they were alone.

The room had a light glow coming from the nightlight in the corner. Within the small room among the dolls, stuffed animals, books and lego were two beds. His two eldest children, who had reluctantly agreed to share a room for the time being until they were certain that Liam could sleep through the night, occupied them.

Jacob snorted when he caught a glimpse of his four year old daughter Sarah, sleeping on her back with both her arms and legs sprawled out across the sheets and over the stuffed animals that she insisted on sleeping with. Her dark wavy hair sprawled unceremoniously across her pillow. Jacob looked at her face, seeing how she was not bothered one bit by the noise that her seven year old brother was making with his coughing. Jacob leaned over and kissed her cheek before covering her up and making his way over to Nate.

Nate had coughed a few times while he had been in the room, and Jacob couldn't help but wince. It had brought back the horrible memories of waking in the night when Nate was a toddler to hearing that seal-like croupy cough that was reminiscent of him choking. Every winter they had gone through it as they discovered that not only was he susceptible to seasonal allergies but he had inherited Jo's sensitivity to cinnamon among other items. They had to be careful with every new food they introduced, not sure whether it would result with another trip to the hospital or a shot with the Epi-pen. Over the years, Nate began to outgrow it, but his seasonal allergies hung on.

It was strange. Nate was the only one in the family to have allergies. Sarah hadn't shown any of the same indicators as Nate had. Being a nurse at one time, Sue suggested that it could have been due to him being born early, or it could just be how he is. In every other way, he was as healthy as anyone else. Still, it concerned Jacob.

He grabbed the small bottle from the top of the shelf where Jo kept Nate's medication for the night and shook it prior to sitting down on the bed beside his son. He reached forward and brushed his fingers over Nate's forehead before speaking his name softly.

Slowly, Nate opened his eyes, causing Jacob to smile. They looked so much like his own that he sometimes felt as though he was looking into a mirror.

"Hey pal," he whispered, before he held up the small bottle. "How are you feeling?"

Nate pushed himself up to sit in bed and sniffed deeply, indicting how his nose was stuffed.

"I can't breathe out my nose anymore," he said groggily, before Jacob put a finger to his lips, reminding Nate to keep his voice down in order to not wake his sister.

"I heard you coughing."

Nate nodded as Jacob passed him a small spoonful of the medication. Nate opened his mouth and swallowed it before Jacob brushed his hand through Nate's unruly hair, pushing the curls away from his eyes. It seemed to sit haphazardly on his head. His hair was no where being straight as most Quilleute's hair was. It was another thing that Nate had inherited from Jo and made their son even more unique.

"Okay, go back to sleep," Jacob told him, as Nate scooched down and laid back on his pillow.

Jacob was about to get up when Nate spoke again.

"Can you stay with me?"

Jacob smirked and ran his hand through Nate's hair once again.

"Close your eyes," Jacob whispered. "I'll rub your head for a bit."

A smile appeared on Nate's face before he turned onto his side and pulled his navy blue blanket up beneath his chin. He quickly settled and closed his eyes while Jacob ran his hand gently through Nate's hair, rubbing his fingers against his scalp. Jacob watched, seeing how Nate slept with his mouth open in order to breathe easier.

Jacob glanced at Sarah across the room as she shifted on her own bed, unconsciously grabbing her stuffed pink bear Rosie and pulled it close to her chest.

He could feel the contentment of his wolf; his family was around him and safe. Despite the report that Quil had to brought to both Jacob as his Alpha and the elders of the tribe of the vampire that they had scented once again earlier that evening, his wolf was relatively at ease. This was where he was supposed to be; protecting what was most precious to him. He had confidence in Quil, Brady and Collin that they would be able to get the job done and protect the tribe by destroying the vampire that came onto their lands. After he had that lengthy discussion with the elders, they had all agreed that there was no need to interrupt the lives of the members of the pack whom had retired from active patrol to join in the search. They were going to be keeping this issue to themselves.

Looking down at Nate, it was obvious by his steady breathing and heartbeat that he had fallen back asleep. Jacob hoped that Nate's sleep would be more restful now.

A part of him desired to sleep on the floor to ensure that no one came into the room while they slept. As much as he tried to reassure himself that his dream was getting the best of him, his memories of images still worried him.

Jacob reluctantly walked out of the room and left the door open as he headed down the hallway. He sniffed the air for that nasty stench of a vampire. Jacob knew that Jo would sense it just as quickly as he would but still, it became an unconscious reaction. His wolf was just as on edge.

He paused when he came to Liam's closed door and listened, hearing the baby breathing rhythmically in his crib while he slept. A part of Jacob desired to take Liam into bed with him and hold him close. Instead, he turned to his bedroom and pushed the door open.

Aware that Jo had most likely fallen back asleep, Jacob quietly made his way into their room. In the darkness, he quickly pulled his shirt up and over his head and left it on the dresser before carefully unzipping his jeans. He slide them down, leaving only his boxers on.

He slipped under the sheets, wincing as the mattress complained loudly and shifted with his added weight. He didn't want to wake Jo. She laid with her back towards him. To anyone else, one would think that she had fallen asleep in the time that it took Jacob to get into bed, but he knew better. As he laid behind her, he could hear her heart beating and her breathing - both no where near the pace that it would be if she was asleep. A smirk came to his lips as he gently tucked himself in behind her.

"I assumed that you'd be asleep before I came into bed," he whispered, reaching his arm protectively overtop of her, before he leaned forward and took a deep intake of a breath at back of her neck. Her scent was soothing to both the man and the wolf. Memories of both his nightmare and the discussion regarding the vampire on their land still weighted heavily on him. For Jo, the sensation tickled and she scrunched her shoulders, proving to him that she was indeed awake.

Eventually, he heard her sigh in annoyance at his ministrations.

"I'm trying, Jacob."

"My sweet, sweet Josephine," he whispered huskily into her ear, before he pushed the collar of her shirt away from her neck. Jacob leaned in and kissed the back of her neck.

Jo giggled softly before stiffling a yawn.

"Go to sleep. You're going to be up for work in a few hours," she reminded him.

Jacob groaned, gently rubbing his nose against the back of her neck.

"I've missed you, Jo. I haven't seen you all day."

Even after being imprinted to Jacob for over seven years, the pull never diminished. It also didn't help that Jacob was working long hours at the shop while Jo juggled taking care of a four month old, their four year old daughter and getting Nate to and from school each day. From when they woke to until they went to sleep, they were moving. There were a few stollen kisses in the kitchen, most of which were spotted by either of the eldest children. The kids would express their disgust before Jacob would chase after them, resulting in fits of giggles and elated screams. Secretly, the children enjoyed seeing the loving exchange between their parents and would even sometimes push their way between them for the attention. So, to have time alone without a childish commentary or interruption was precious. Not only that, but Jo could feel her own imprint towards Jacob desire to fulfill the connection. It tugged at her from the inside out. There was no way that she would deny her imprint. Even as she rolled over and met his eyes, she could feel that connection being satisfied. She entangled her legs between Jacob's before resting her head against his outstretched arm.

For Jacob, it wasn't just the imprint that was being fulfilled. The fears of knowing that there had been a vampire on their land scared him more than he realized and having Jo within reach seemed to alleviate that stress for the wolf.

He reached forward and brushed her hair back away from her face.

"Have I ever told you how beautiful you are?"

Jo rolled her eyes before she felt herself being squeezed closer to him.

"Once or twice," she teased, indulging him, as she put her hands against his chest that was pressed into her.

"In that case," he began, as he closed in to pepper her face with kisses. "Mrs. Black, you. Are. The. Most. Beautiful. Woman. That. I've. Ever. Seen."

He paused between each word to kiss her cheek, nose, forehead, ears, neck and finally her lips. Jo giggled at the tickling sensation that it left on her skin as he moved. Jacob found his way back to her neck, once again deeply inhaling the scent of her skin and hair, finding that it calmed his still frayed nerves as memories from his dream came to him. Echoes of hearing Nate screaming for help was almost too real. But simply touching Jo, being so close to her and realizing that this was his reality and not the beginning of another nightmare calmed the wolf within. With her, the problems of the world faded away and for a moment he could imagine that they didn't live in such a scary, and crazy world. She was the balm to his anxiety. He found that he couldn't stop breathing in her scent.

"And you gave me three children," he spoke huskily into her ear. "All of which are as beautiful as you."

A soft murr followed by a deeper growl suddenly vibrated within his chest and escaped his lips before he kissed her neck once again.

The sound surprised Jo, having not heard it in nearly five years. Since he had decided to stop phasing just prior to Sarah's birth, just like Jo, he had kept a tight reign on his inner wolf in order to grow old alongside their family. They were both intune with what their inner wolves desired but never allowed them anywhere near the surface, especially when they were in the company of their children.

But something just wasn't right. This was more than just wanting to be close to her. Jo knew that something was disturbing not only Jacob, the man, but his wolf as well. He was so close to the surface as she looked at his eyes, seeing the familiar yellowing of his cornea's.

"Jacob," Jo breathed, combing her fingers through his short hair, gaining his attention.

He blinked as he looked up at her and his chocolate brown eyes were back.

"What?" He asked cheekily. "I can't be proud that my children look like their mother?"

Jo sighed, shaking her head. "That's not it. Something's bothering you."

He knew exactly what she was sensing - his anxiety over the vampire on Quilleute lands. Still, Jacob smirked and shook his head.

"Nothing's bothering me, Jo. I need you," he said, nuzzling her neck. For a moment, he kissed her skin and licked it before he added. "We need you."

Again, Jo sighed.

"See, that's just it," she told him, fighting her own desire to give into him physically. But she couldn't knowing that for some unknown reason his wolf was manifesting.

"What is it?"

"Your wolf."

"My wolf needs you as much as I do."

"Why?"

Jacob chuckled.

"Because he's a part of me? Jo, what's with the twenty questions?"

"Jake, you know that I can sense more than what you're telling me," she told him, taking his face between her hands to look into his eyes. "Your wolf is right there, closer than he has been in years and I can see him in your eyes."

Jacob smirked, taking her hands in his own.

"Jo, you know how I can get when things get physical between us..."

Jo shook her head.

"This is more than just sex right now that's causing your wolf to manifest," she argued, nearly interrupting him. Jacob rolled his eyes. "We've had sex countless times...hell, we managed somehow to conceive Liam without seeing a glimpse of your furry hide. So you can't tell me that this is about things getting physical."

She paused, pushing herself up to sit while Jacob rolled onto his back and put his arm over his eyes. Jacob could hear the unasked question and answered her.

"There is nothing wrong," he growled out each word.

"You do know that I can tell when you're lying to me."

Jacob didn't reply.

In return, Jo huffed and turned before laying back down in bed, her back towards him.

Feeling the stress and anxiety within him nearly caused Jacob to run from the room and out of the house just so that he could run off some of the pent up energy and frustration that his wolf was emitting within him. A big part of him would be reluctant to leave the house. Instead, Jacob clenched his fists, determined not to succumb to phasing in order to deal with it. After all, he had made a promise to Jo years ago and he wasn't going to break it now.

Instead, he opened his eyes and glanced over at Jo. She laid with her back facing towards him. There was no way he was going to tell her that there had been a vampire frequenting their land lately. That was the last thing that she needed to know, yet Jacob knew that she was aware that something was bothering him.

"You're not going to let this go, are you?" He asked softly.

When she didn't respond, Jacob sat up and glanced back at her.

"You aren't the only stubborn one in this family," he mumbled, running his hands over his face.

At the same time, his imprint demanded that he make her feel better. Jacob could only imagine the pull that Jo was feeling towards him as she laid with her back towards him.

Jo stared at the wall in their dark bedroom, sensing Jacob's every movement. Beneath her heard, her hands squeezed the pillow. She was determined not to be the one who gave in. Her heart was pounding and she was certain that Jacob could hear it.

"Jo, I don't want to go to sleep like this," he added softly, reaching out and touching her on the shoulder. He sighed. "Hell, I doubt that either of us will be able to sleep, and...you're right."

Still Jo didn't roll over.

"There is something bothering me," he told her. "But...I..uh, I didn't want to worry you. You've been busy preparing for Liam's party for the past few days and you've been up in the night with him. And you have the other kids to look after...this isn't a big deal."

Jo turned over in her spot and sat up in the bed beside him. She ran her fingers through her hair, but didn't look at Jacob beside her.

"Jake, I'm already worried because you're not wanting to tell me something that is obviously a big deal to you. I've ran every possible and impossible scenerio in my head over the past few minutes and you seriously don't want to know about the thoughts that I've considered."

Jacob looked down at his hands on the sheet covering their legs.

"It's the nightmare I had," he told her with a sigh, hoping that his explanation would suffice. "It was not only horrible and disturbing, it was eerily real."

Jo leaned in towards him, and rested her head against Jacob's bare shoulder. She reached forward with her hand and grabbed his own, entwining her fingers with his.

"What was it about?"

"A...uh...vampire," he began, "the Volturi namely, had come for Nate but they also had Sarah. I was alone and everything was destroyed around me...a fire had started within the woods, burning everything...our home, the entire reservation. The pack was gone..."

He paused, turning to look at Jo beside him. "You were gone...I...I have no idea where you went and the Volturi had the kids. I didn't want to tell you about the dream and have the details bother you as well."

Jo nodded, understanding the deep fears that had resided in both of them years ago when the Volturi had first come to La Push and Edward Cullen had spoken out about the interest that the vampire royalty had in Nate. It had been years since either of them had nightmares regarding the Volturi, but knowing that there hadn't been a vampire scented within 200 miles of La Push in the past four years had alleviated their fears. The Cullen's hadn't been in contact with them, as they said they would if need be, which simply confirmed that the Volturi were not pursuing their interest in Nate.

"I appreciate you thinking of me. But..what brought this on?"

Jacob shrugged, refusing to tell her the truth behind it.

"Quil had asked if it was all right to trade off either Collin or Brady on patrol tomorrow afternoon since he wanted to be able to come to Liam's tribal introduction ceremony at First Beach," Jacob told her. "He's going to have the two guys pull in the perimeter away from the old Cullen land for the day since they wanted to join in the fun for a few hours. We talked a bit about the Cullen's...I think that simply jogged some memories."

Jo nodded, accepting Jacob's explanation. And it was true, to an extent. But it was more of the reverse. Jacob wanted Quil to have the two guys extend the perimeter until the lone vampire was caught. The time that it was scented was as it came into Quilleute lands from the old Cullen land. But Jacob assumed his explanation would make more sense to Jo.

"Well," Jo said, kissing Jacob's shoulder. "I'm not going anywhere. Whether in human form or as a wolf, I'll always be at your side, Jake."

Jacob smirked. "I know. I just didn't want to worry you."

"Jake, it's just a dream," Jo said with a smile. "Your imagination was simply making something bigger than it really was. It's fine."

Jo grabbed Jacob by the shoulders, encouraging him to lay down. She tucked herself up beside him, her legs protectively overtop of his own and she rested her head on his shoulder. Jo placed her arm over Jacob's chest. Jacob ran his own hand through her hair, brushing it away from his face.

"Don't worry Jake," she said sleepily. "I'll chase away any vampires that come near us."

Jacob smirked, running his hand over Jo's head, hearing her breathing beginning to relax as she fell asleep.

"You and me both. I promise you."

* * *

 ** _A/N -_**

 ** _And...so it begins_**

 ** _Please let me know what you think. I'll try to update weekly...sooner if I get the interest._**


	2. Chapter 2

"Nate, honey! Get moving. Your breakfast is ready and it's getting cold!"

Jo's voice echoed throughout the small home while she flipped the pancakes on the frying pan. Jacob walked into the kitchen, pulling his shirt over his head. He was dressed in his work pants and a white t-shirt that would surely be stained with oil and dirt from the shop long before Jacob would finish his work day.

The early morning sunshine was just starting to come through the windows, giving promise to a beautiful and sunny late spring day. When Jacob looked out the window, he smiled. It wasn't every day that it was sunny in La Push, Washington.

"Looks like it'll be a nice day," Jacob said, causing Jo to glance out the window. She nodded and smiled.

Between her and Sue Clearwater-Swan, they had been planning the celebration that was to be held that evening at First Beach as the official welcoming ceremony of Liam Black into the Quilleute tribe. It had been a tradition for every child born on the reservation but for their family, it looked like the circumstances were finally going to cooperate. For Sarah's ceremony, it had poured rain all day long and they ended up cramming inside of Sue's diner. But at least she had been healthy and happy. For Nate's ceremony, it had been cut short when he happened to be coming down with a bad flu and was crying nealry constantly.

"Third time's the charm, I hope," Jo stated, agreeing with him, before watching him reach around her to grab a piece of bacon from the plate beside her. With a teasing scowl, she playfully slapped at his hand as he smiled triumphantly, shoving the bacon into his mouth.

"Just don't stay late tonight, all right? Aunt Sue and I are going to need your help bringing things back and forth from her house, to the car and then to the beach."

"I thought Charlie was going to be helping you both out."

Jo sighed and put down the spatula on the counter, ready to explain to him the plan of action...again.

"Jake, I told you yesterday," she told him, rolling her eyes. "Charlie is going to be getting off work early and head..."

Jacob nodded having remembered what Jo had said. It was obvious that just talking about planning an event such as this with many members of the tribe was starting to get to her. He could almost sense her stress and frustration over him not recalling a small detail.

"...and he'll head over to pick up my Dad and bring him down to the beach, I remember."

Jo sighed audibly as Jacob put his hands on her shoulders.

"Jo, relax," he said with a smirk. "It'll work out."

Jacob glanced out the window. "If the weather is any indication, I believe this will be a wonderful party for Liam and everything will work out according to plan."

Jo sighed, turning back to the pancakes on the stovetop. "I hope you're right. I just can't help shake this uneasy feeling I've had all morning."

Jacob kept the smile on his face, while inwardly he was certain that she was once again picking up on his anxiety regarding the vampire on tribe land.

"You've been so stressed out and busy planning and cooking for Liam's party," Jacob said, as he stepped up behind her. "But I think I can help you forget those uneasy feelings."

Before Jo could question his idea, she felt him step up behind her, his hands on her hips before he nuzzled the back of her neck. She instinctively tipped her head to the side as she absently watched the pancakes begin to brown on the pan while she felt Jacob's lips on her skin. Jo's hair was held up high in a messy pony tail that she had done in her haste to get dressed and get breakfast started early that morning. Jacob was tempted to pull her hair out of the elastic.

"You smell better than bacon," he murmured, as Jo chuckled before she turned around, wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Is that supposed to be a compliment?"

Jacob smiled before he leaned in to kiss her lips. He was so preoccupied, that he didn't even notice his son coming into the room until he spoke.

"Eww," Nate groaned, putting his hand up to the side of his face as he made his way to the table. "Mom, Dad, that's gross."

Jacob turned around to face his son and smirked at seeing Nate sitting at the table, his hands still covering his eyes.

"What's gross?" Jacob asked. "I was just kissing your Mother."

"Yeah, kissing is gross," the boy repeated.

"You say that now," Jacob stated confidently, as Jo passed him a plate with pancakes on it. He smiled and took it from her before grabbing a few more pieces of bacon. Jacob walked over to the table to join his son who was still shielding his eyes from any further moments of PDA in the kitchen.

"I'll be certain to remind you of that in ten years."

Slowly, Nate's hands slid down over his eyes as Jacob sat down beside him.

"Don't worry. I'm not going to be kissing any girls," Nate said, his face contorted in complete disgust.

Jacob smirked as he began eating the pancakes in front of him.

"What about your Mom? She's a girl."

"Mom is different. She's...Mom."

Jacob nodded in understanding.

"Girls in school are wierd," Nate stated. "There's a girl who bugs me all the time. She follows me around and asks me silly questions."

"She probably likes you, Nate," Jacob told him with a wink.

Nate winced and shook his head.

Jo smirked and chuckled, before placing a bowl of oatmeal in front of him and ruffling his hair with her hand.

"Eat up. Your Aunt Rachel will be here anytime to bring you to school."

"And you don't want to poke that dragon right now," Jacob mumbled softly to himself before he quickly shoved another piece of bacon into his mouth. Having heard the comment, Jo glared at him and tapped him on the back of the head, chastising him for it.

"What?" He chuckled, watching Jo as she walked back to the stove. "Paul says that she's been very emotional lately - Happy and cheerful one moment and then ready to bite his head off the next."

"Can you blame her though? The baby was due a few days ago. She has to be frustrated. I couldn't imagine going overdue with any of the kids."

Jacob snoted.

"Knowing you, I doubt that I would have survived it."

Jo turned and glared at him before holding up a spatula, aimed at him.

"Easy there, Jacob Black," she teased. "I'm making your breakfast here and there's no guarantee that you'll survive until lunch."

Jacob laughed as Jo smirked before his eyes fell on his 4 year old daughter coming out of the bathroom. He watched as Sarah climbed into a chair across from her brother and sat on her knees. Jo placed a plate of bacon and pancakes at her spot at the table and she happily began to eat. Meanwhile, Nate pushed his spoon in the thick oatmeal.

"What's up kiddo? Not hungry?"

Nate looked up at Jacob and sighed, shaking his head before putting the spoon back in his bowl.

"I'm tired of plain oatmeal," he complained, as he sulked. "Can I have something else instead?"

"You can't have my pancakes," Sarah mumbled, her mouth full as she poured syrup on top of them. Jacob quickly reached over taking the bottle from her before the entire contents fell onto her plate.

Nate grimaced in disgust at seeing the food being chewed openly in front of him.

"I don't want your chewed pancakes. That's disgusting."

Sarah giggled while Jacob reminded her kindly to keep her mouth closed while she ate.

Nate turned to Jacob as he assisted Sarah with cutting up the pancakes on her plate and looked earnestly at him. "Can I have some pancakes too like Sarah?"

"Not until we get the report back from the allergist next week," Jo stated from the stove where she poured more batter onto the frying pan.

"Nate, you know that you can't," Jacob added. "I really don't want to be using your epi pen today and I'm going to be too busy in the shop and then with Liam's party tonight to make a special trip to the hospital."

"But I had cake at Aunt Sue's last week at Uncle Charlie's birthday and I was fine," Nate complained. "She put eggs in that."

"Cake, which you weren't supposed to have. You shouldn't have convinced Claire to give you some. You scared everyone, especially your Uncle Charlie to death."

Twelve year old Claire had known that Nate was allergic to eggs, yet the young boy had tricked her into giving him some cake, saying that since it wasn't eggs on their own, he would be fine. After some persuasion, she took his word and had given him a piece.

The moment that Charlie walked into the kitchen and saw Nate eating cake, it caused the usually calm police chief to drop his own plate to the ground, shattering it in fear that he was about to witness Nate go into anaphylactic shock in his kitchen. Hearing Charlie's worried shouts, Jacob and Jo along with Sue and countless others quickly raced into the kitchen causing an uproar of questions that brought tears to Claire's eyes as she pleaded that Nate told her that it was all right for him to eat the cake. Quil comforted her while Jacob scooped up his son and brought him back outside and continued the interrogation about how much he ate and how he was feeling, while Charlie raced into the bathroom to get the epi pen that Sue had stored in their home since Jacob's kids visited quite often. All the while, Nate was trying to convince the people around him that he was fine. It took a few times of Nate telling them over and over until Jacob paused and looked at his son's eyes and not only saw the fear but the assurance that his was fine.

The only one who came out looking overly frayed was Charlie Swan. Sue had him bend over as he sat on the table next to Nate in hopes of lowering his blood pressure.

In the end, Jacob had a long discussion with Nate regarding the seriousness of what could have happened. He also apologized to Claire and to Charlie for disrupting his birthday. Charlie was quick to forgive him. He grabbed Nate, pulling him tightly into a hug and mumbled a threat into the boy's hair, telling him to never scare the shit out of him again.

"I know, and I'm sorry. But I was fine," Nate stated, looking from Jacob in the chair beside him to Jo who had turned around and was leaning against the counter beside the stove.

"Nate, we're just trying to keep you safe," she told him. "Since you're getting older, you are outgrowing some allergies, but not all of them and you know that. And the problem is, we don't know which ones you have and the ones you haven't. So until we know, oatmeal is your breakfast."

Nate slumped back in his chair and pouted.

"It's not fair."

Jacob sighed, looking at the bowl of cooled oatmeal in front of his son. "I know."

He paused and grabbed a piece of bacon from his plate and held it out to Nate.

The boy smiled slightly and took the bacon before ripping at it with his teeth.

A sudden knock at the door caused Nate to quickly shove the bacon into his mouth. Thinking that it was his Aunt coming to pick him up, he began to push out his chair when Jacob put out his hand, grabbing the back of the chair.

"Relax," he told him with a smile. "It's just Uncle Quil and Uncle Embry."

Jacob turned his head and shouted for them to come in. Nate looked from the opening door to infact see both Quil and Embry walk in, before he looked to his Dad.

"How'd you know it would be them?"

Jacob shrugged, taking another bite of bacon. He was about to answer when Quil quickly jumped in and clapped Jacob on the shoulder, smiling.

"Because your old man invited us over for breakfast before we start work this morning, and being the good friends that we are, we just couldn't refuse some of your Mom's food. Besides, we could smell it the moment we pulled in."

While Quil teased, Embry went to Jo by the stove.

"I have a few more pancakes that I can make with what I have left in this bowl and I have extra bacon in the fridge if you want some," she told him softly so that the kids wouldn't over hear, knowing full well that the two men were not invited as Quil had stated. It was a good enough cover to explain how Jacob knew who was at the door and they all knew it was ulterior motive for Quil to be fed.

Both their children weren't aware of Jacob's past and her own. In fact, the pack had made a group decision to keep the knowledge of the wolves a secret from their kids. The pack themselves had to endure knowing that creatures of myth and horror stories were, in fact real. If they could shelter their children from that, they would and they did. But old habits die hard and even though the pack was officially no longer necessary, it seemed that their heightened senses would be one thing that they would carry on for the rest of their human lives.

Embry shook his head politely. "I ate before I left home. I had breakfast with Michelle and the twins."

"Quil!?" Jo called out, causing the man to turn to her from where he had been talking animatedly with Sarah while the girl ate. Jo held up the pan with the remaining pieces of bacon and then the plate of pancakes on it and he nodded enthusiastically before Jo grabbed another plate.

She quickly filled it up and placed it in front of Quil who smiled his thanks before beginning to eat. Jacob watched him.

"Didn't you eat this morning?"

Quil shook his head. "It was a late night after the elders meeting last night. I didn't get to bed until late."

Jacob knew where Quil had been - patrolling. It was amazing that he was currently upright with the amount of sleep he had been getting in between his rounds.

"The guy woke up as I pulled in the driveway to pick him up," Embry added. "He got dressed in the car."

"I would love to see how he managed that," Jo commented with a laugh, imagining a full grown man the size of Quil in the front seat, attempting to get dressed.

Embry winced. "Trust me, you don't. But at least now I know what to suggest to old man Quil to buy him for Christmas - new underwear."

Jacob chuckled, as Quil paused in chewing and glared at Embry.

At that moment, Liam took the opportunity to make himself known. The baby monitor on the counter came to life and the echoes of his crying filled the kitchen. Jo was about to leave the room to get him when Embry quickly volunteered, stating how he hadn't seen the little boy in a while. They all knew the real reason; the daggers that Quil was giving him as he ate.

A few seconds passed before Embry came walking back down the hallway and into the kitchen with Liam laying on one arm. The baby looked up at him as he held him. Being held by someone seemed to be what the baby was wanting and was currently sucking on his fingers as he watched Embry's face.

"You think that holding a baby is going to keep you safe from me tackling you to the ground, Call?" Quil stated.

"It had better. There will be no tackling in my house while my son is in Embry's arms," Jacob quickly announced.

Embry smirked. "Don't worry Jake. Quil wouldn't dare touch me while I'm holding little Liam."

"True," Quil told him. "But you can't hold him forever."

Jo chuckled, watching Embry hold the baby so comfortably in his arms. Embry seriously had a crash course in learning how to take care of a baby when his twins were born. He and his wife, Michelle dealt with many sleepless nights and long days. So much so, that Jacob had granted Embry's desire to retire early from the pack due to Michelle becoming suspicious with his late night disappearances and their new marriage already being strained by it. Due to Embry never imprinting on Michelle, he was never allowed to inform her about the truth about the tribe she married into. It suited Embry just fine; if he could protect his wife from the horrors that he had experienced in his short life, he'd certainly do it.

"Do you ever wish your kids were that small again?"

Embry looked up at Jo. "Hell no. Mich and I couldn't wait until they could walk on their own and feed themselves. Sleeping through the night was like winning the lottery. Nothing could be as hard as handling newborn twins. With one at a time, you and Jake had it easy."

"You say that now, just wait until Derek and Danielle are teenagers," Jacob chuckled. "You'll have double the hormones."

"Speak for yourself, Jake," Embry said. "You'll be in the midst of dealing with hormones and having girls chasing after Nate long before any of us have to even think about it."

Nate took the opportunity to suddenly speak up.

"I'm never going to kiss a girl," Nate announced. "Girls are gross."

"No we're not!" Sarah shouted back. "We wear dresses and dresses aren't gross. They're pretty! Boys have cooties!"

Quil smirked, stiffling a laugh as he watched the exchange between the two Black siblings and eager to see how Jacob was going to handle the small squirmish between the children. A huge part of him was relieved that parenthood was a good decade away for him and due to the fact that he was still phasing, physically he'd look the same and still be able to keep up with kids despite his actual age. Besides, he was content simply to be watching Claire grow into the beautiful young woman that she was, all the while keeping his unusual connection to her a secret. To tell a twelve year old that her best friend, who in actuality was in all sense of the word, her soulmate and that he intended to one day spend the rest of his life with her was a bit creepy and possibly overwhelming. Telling Claire five years ago that he was a shape shifter was enough to freak her out.

Jake put out both his hands, one on Nate's shoulder and one on Sarah's hand.

"That's enough, both of you," he stated, just as he heard Paul's old pick up came rumbling up their drive.

"Nate, eat fast. Aunt Rachel is coming."

Nate didn't need to be told twice. Even he heard the sound of the truck and grabbed the bacon from Jacob's plate before running back down the hallway to his room to get his bag.

"Rachel?" Quil asked with his mouth full. "Wasn't she supposed to have a baby last week?"

Jacob nodded, as Jo walked over to grab Nate's bowl of untouched oatmeal.

"Jo offered to drive Ryan and Nate to school this week for her, but Paul said that she's hoping that all the added activity will get things moving."

A rapid succesion of footsteps racing across their wooden porch stopped at the front door before they heard three firm knocks.

Jo walked over to the door and opened it to see her nephew, Ryan standing at the door with a smile on his face. Although he held that familiar Black smile, his twinkling eyes mimicked those of Paul's as did his facial features and his hairline.

"Hi Aunt Jo! Is Nate ready?"

"Just about, I think," Jo replied, looking past Ryan at the front door to see Rachel leaning her head out the drivers side window. She waved at Jo just as Nate suddenly raced past her, joining Ryan before the two boys ran towards the passenger side of the pick up.

"Have a good day!" Jo called out, as Nate climbed in after Ryan, slamming the door beside him. She waved as Rachel backed up the drive.

The rest of the day went by steadily and the bright sunshine continued.

Jo spent a good portion of the morning and into the afternoon at Charlie and Sue Swan's place getting food together and doing last minute cooking with her aunt. Having a small restaurant herself, Sue was extremely talented when it came to planning and organizing. She had taken the day off work to help Jo. After all, it wasn't very often that she'd get to celebrate her youngest great nephew being officially welcomed into the tribe.

Sarah had come along with Jo and Liam for the day considering Jacob was unable to watch her since he, Quil and Embry had a full day of work ahead of them in the shop. Seth had the day off from working alongside Charlie at the station and agreed to look after Sarah. Sue looked out the window as the young four year old played with her cousin, Seth in the Swan's backyard; a piece of property that Charlie had purchased on the edge of the reservation shortly after he and Sue had married. They had built a small two bedroom, one-floor home and he sold his place in Forks and Sue had given her home to Leah.

It had been hard for Charlie to put the house up for sale five years ago, especially when he hadn't heard from Bella in over a year. It had seemed that she had suddenly disappeared off the face of the earth. She wasn't answering her phone and emails were suddenly being returned automatically. Sue found it heartbreaking to watch Charlie go through the endless nights of searching online, phone calls to other jurisdictions across the country and endless emailing of photo's to anyone who may have seen her. This had gone on for months on end. And although his search had wanned, Sue knew that his concern for Bella's whereabouts continued. She only wished that she could offer him some comfort in telling him that Bella was all right and according to what the Cullen's had told the pack, they were doing it all to protect the children; children like the little girl who raced around the yard trying to chase Seth. Yet when Sue proposed to the other elders that Charlie be informed about the truth about the Cullen's and the magic surrounding the tribe, the council had voted against it. To Sue's initial dismay and frustration, the council had voted in favour of keeping certain details of the tribe's histories a secret from Charlie, regardless of whether he had married into the tribe or not.

But he was more than just someone who married into the tribe. Charlie was a member of the tribe. And although he wasn't born into it, Sue saw how he was a valued member of the Rez. He wasn't viewed as a 'pale face' from Forks. He wasn't only Charlie Swan, the husband of Sue Clearwater, but he was also an honorary grandfather to the three Black kids. So later that evening when he spotted Jacob carrying a large cooler as he walked beside Jo, who held onto Sarah's hand while they walked towards the gathering of people on the beach, he quickly stood up from where he sat on a log beside Billy Black.

Billy had turned, his eyes lighting up to see three of his grandchildren coming towards them. Nate was already being greeted by Ryan and then soon after by Talon Uley, who enjoyed playing with the two boys quite often at school and around the reservation.

Charlie smiled as Nate waved at him before running off towards the water's edge with the other two boys.

When he saw Sarah, she ran towards him and he managed to catch her before swinging her into the air to hold her in his arms.

"Whoa! Someone seems to have gotten bigger since the last time I saw her!" He teased, as Sarah giggled. "How's my favourite little girl doing?"

"Good!" She replied with a smile. "Where's grandpa?"

Charlie turned her in his arms towards where Billy sat by a group of umbrella's, talking with Old Quil beneath them.

"Go get him," Charlie said softly before placing the girl on the ground.

Like a dart, Sarah raced straight for Billy, yelling 'Grandpa' just before she jumped up to wrap her arms around his neck. Billy had to bend over and was somewhat startled by her sudden jumping up.

"Sarah! Take it easy on grandpa! He isn't as young as he used to be!" Jacob called out before quickly excusing himself and headed towards where his daughter was currently sitting on Billy's lap, explaining everything she had done already that day as animatedly as possible. Jo smiled, watching Billy patiently listen to his granddaughter as she rambled on and on before Jacob intervened.

Beside her, Charlie leaned over seeing that Liam was snuggly stuck against her chest in a wrap. Liam's eyes were open, obviously listening to the sounds of the voices around him and the waves of the ocean in the distance.

"Hey there little guy," Charlie said, causing Liam to smile at him. "There's that smile that I love to see."

He looked up at Jo. "How's he doing?"

"I walked over with him hoping that he'd doze off but no such luck," Jo replied, pulling the fabric slightly down and away from Liam's face.

"I don't mind holding him for you," Charlie said, somewhat awkwardly before he cleared his throat. "That is, if you have something to do and you don't want to be holding things far out in front of you."

Jo smiled and nodded as she proceeded to unwrap herself from her four month old. Charlie reached forward and took Liam from the last folds of fabric and turned him around in his arms.

In the years that he had been married to Sue and ultimately been exposed to children and babies of all ages, Charlie suddenly realized how much he enjoyed kids. He had missed a good portion of Bella's growing up and never knew how much he liked being around kids until Sue offered to watch Nate when he was a baby. It wasn't until Sue spotted Charlie making goofy faces at Nate to make him laugh that she had suddenly seen this other side of him. Charlie was still the quiet, sometimes awkward man, but the kids brought out a completely different part of him that she hadn't seen before. And the kids loved him.

Jo smiled and walked away from Charlie to go help Sue.

A small game of soccer was quickly picked up by some guys and after some prodding from Paul and Jared, Jacob joined. Charlie eventually passed Liam to Billy when Sarah begged him to help her build a big sandcastle.

From across the beach, near the waters edge where a rocky outcropping and a small river met the ocean, Nate, along with Ryan Lahote and Lizzie and Talon Uley tossed rocks into the water. They were the eldest children from the party and as such, they were allowed to venture further away from where the adults talked and played games. The younger kids stayed with their parents and were busy digging in the sand, and playing with toys that they had brought along. But being away from the adults didn't mean that the four were free to do whatever they wanted. The unspoken rule was to stay within visual distance. But being on La Push beach, that meant that one could walk for close to a mile before no longer being seen. The tide was moving in, eventually pushing the kids closer inland and towards the brush that lined the beach where they played. The sounds of cheering following a goal during the game of soccer travelled to where they were.

Ryan looked back to see a group of people cheering after one team obviously scored a goal.

"I don't know if that is a good idea," Lizzie commented, while she played with one of her pigtailed braids and sat on a large rock

Elizabeth Uley, or Lizzie as everyone called her, was known for being the voice of reason and more often than not, the kill-joy. Lizzie followed the rules and although she'd be persuaded at times to bend them, she never broke them. And to hear the younger boys' plans involved going into the woods, warning bells were going off in her head. Going into the woods alone was something her Dad always told her never to do and she was certain that the other boys had heard the same thing from their respective parents.

"Lizzie, we're just going to be quick," Talon argued with his older sister. "Ryan says it's not that far into the woods. If we follow the river, we'll find it. It's going to be so cool!"

"And you're sure it's there," Nate stated, looking to his cousin who nodded.

Paul had taken Ryan and his little sister, Amy on an old four wheeler that he had fixed up. Paul took the three along an old worn path that the pack had taken many times that followed the river that once divided the tribe land from Cullen territory. At one point, the river deepened until it fell over a bunch of rocks into a short water fall. Although it wasn't something grandios, for the six year old and his three year old sister, it was huge.

"Well, I'm not going," Lizzie decided, while Talon stood up from where he sat. "I'm not going to be the one who gets in trouble."

"We're not going to get in trouble," Nate told her with a smile "No one will know. We'll be quick. Are you sure you don't want to come? It's a real big waterfall right on the reservation!"

Lizzie looked as though she was going to agree to suddenly come along when she shook her head.

"Suit yourself," Talon stated, turning to Ryan and Nate who were standing by the edge of the woods. "Just don't blab to Mom and Dad about this."

Lizzie scowled at Talon and stuck her tongue out at her younger brother before turning away from the treeline.

"I hope you all get covered in mud," she mumbled, before glancing back to where the boys had disappeared.

As much as she wanted to come along, there was no way that she would risk getting into trouble.

The boys walked and followed the river as it flowed through the forest. The land seemed to climb as they moved further inland. It had seemed that they had been walking for a while when Talon suddenly spoke up, his voice audibly exhausted from climbing the hill.

"How far is it? Ry, you said it wasn't that far."

"It shouldn't be," Ryan stated, looking ahead of them before continuing on his way up the hill. "It can't be much further. We were not far from the beach when I saw it."

"I'm tired guys," Talon whined. "Can we stop for a minute?"

Nate sighed, torn between pausing for a break with Talon and keeping up with Ryan who was halfway up the hill they were climbing. Ryan looked back at them.

"Why don't you take a break?" Ryan suggested. "Nate and I will rush to the top and see how close we are."

The suggestion seemed to satisfy Talon who nodded before sitting down on a rock that they had passed while Nate rushed up ahead to meet up with Ryan.

With each step he took, this adventure seemed like less and less of a good idea. But the promise of seeing a waterfall in person drove him to keep going. Nate only hoped that Ryan didn't over exaggerate it's size when he was telling them about it at school earlier that day.

When he suddenly caught a flash of colour in the corner of his eye, Nate stopped and quickly turned his head.

"Hey Ryan, did you see that?"

"See what?"

"I don't know," Nate replied. "I thought I saw something in the trees."

Ryan chuckled. "You're probably seeing things."

A few steps further and Ryan suddenly stopped.

"What was that?"

Nate looked around, standing at Ryan's side and shook his head. "I don't see anything."

"I don't like this," Ryan said, his voice trembling somewhat.

"Maybe we should go back," Nate suggested softly, to which Ryan nodded.

"Hey! You guys all right up there?!" Talon called out, his voice echoing up towards them.

Nate turned to see their friend halfway up the hill, looking up at them. He must have noticed they had stopped walking. Just as he was about to respond, that flash of colour whipped past them once again and this time he gasped as he felt something hard and cold grab at his arm. In the blink of an eye, Nate and Ryan felt themselves being pulled up to the top of the hill.

From below, Talon gasped having seen something that he couldn't believe with his own eyes. What frightened him the most was the fact that he could no longer see Ryan or Talon. It was as though they had disappeared right in front of him. He was about to call out to them, but thought better of it. Whatever had taken his friends could certainly come back for him.

Shaking and in near hysterics, he raced back towards the beach. All the while, he could hear his heart beating loudly in his ears as he was certain that whatever was out in the woods may not have been alone and could be after him. Talon tripped a few times over the roots that jutted up from beneath the earth before he burst through the treeline.

Lizzie was still sitting on the rock where she had been before.

When Lizzie saw her pale faced brother running out towards her, she quickly stood up assuming that he was injured by the panicked look on his face.

"They're gone!"

"What?"

"A ghost just took Ryan and Nate! I saw it!" He exclaimed all in one breath.

Lizzie sighed and crossed her arms, ignoring her brother's obvious fear stricken face for a ruse.

"Is that the best you can do? A ghost? Let me guess - Ryan and Nate are just inside the treeline, ready to jump out and scare me. Well, I'll scare them first."

While Talon shook his head upon hearing her words of disbelief, tears coming to his eyes as he watched Lizzie make her way towards the trees. Before she could take another step further, Talon quickly reached out and grabbed her arm.

"No! Please, don't go in there Lizzie! It might come after you too!"

Lizzie pulled her arm out of her brohter's grasp. She looked down at his hands. They shook in obvious fear before she noticed the tears pouring down her brother's face. She originally took his panic as an act, but this went far beyond pretend and she knew it.

Lizzie could see in her brothers eyes that he was telling the truth. Her heart began to pound.

"Where are Ryan and Nate?"

"I told you! A ghost took them!"

"Ghosts aren't real, Tal!" Lizzie shouted at him.

"Well then, someone took them because they're gone!"

Lizzie looked back into the woods, her chest heaving in the beginnings of a panic attack.

"What do we do?" Talon asked, tears pouring from his eyes.

She took deep breaths while trying to be the brave one as the older sister. Her eyes filled with tears.

"Go run back to where everyone is," she told him, surprisingly composed although the trembling in her voice betrayed her. "Get Dad. He'll know what to do." Just as he was about to run, she quickly grabbed his arm.

"Wait! How far did you guys go along the river?"

"Just to the second hill," he quickly replied. "Why?"

Lizzie shook her head.

"Don't worry about it. Just go get Dad! Hurry!" She shouted at him, causing Talon to run through the sand back the way the group had walked earlier that evening. In the distance, she could see the smoke rising from the small bonfire that had begun on the beach. It would certainly take Talon a while to get back to their Dad, especially while running through the sand.

Taking a deep breath, Lizzie glanced back once more before she stepped through the treeline and along the river where the boys had walked earlier.

"Ghosts aren't real," Lizzie told herself bravely before letting out a nervous sigh as she began to walk along the trail within the darkening woods. "There are no such thing as ghosts."

* * *

 ** _A/N - I know my readers are out there...please comment or review for me! It would really make me update sooner. ;)_**

 ** _To those who have, THANK YOU! I appreciate the support. Thank you to my early favouriters and followers. I assure you this will be another adventure worth your time. If you liked 'Shelter in the Storm', I hope that you enjoy this story._**

 ** _I was hoping to get this chapter done by Monday, but my ipad bluetooth keyboard decided to act up. Every time I hit the space bar, the app closed and pressing 'F' would result with 'FG'. It was the same with 'K', and the semi colon...drove me up the wall. So, I had to find another keyboard to finish this. Tell me what you think, what you'd hope to see and have happen. I can't guarantee anything, but your suggestions may give me inspiration to add another element to the story that I hadn't considered._**


	3. Chapter 3

A/N - I just have to say that I love the character of Leah. I know some of my readers from the previous story asked me to write her story. Despite not making this focus so much on her, I'm certainly going to be including her in this. I hope you enjoy.

Thank you to those who are following and favouriting this...please review too!

* * *

The sound of rushing wind raced past Ryan's ears as he was squeezed tightly against his cousin, Nate while the cold vise-like arms wrapped themselves around the two boys, holding them securely from moving. It all happened so quickly that Ryan didn't even register that his feet were suddenly no longer touching the ground. It wasn't until he opened his eyes, that he noticed the hues of green and brown racing past them at speeds that he was sure rivalled those of the best carnival rides. Confused and then on the edge of panic, he began to struggle within the frozen confines.

And then, as quickly as it began, the nightmare of a ride had stopped and Ryan and Nate were no longer pinned tightly together. In response to their equilibrium being knocked off balance, both boys collapsed to the forest floor. Confused, they slowly began to push themselves up onto their hands and knees when an icy hand quickly grabbed one of each of their arms, instantly pulling them to their feet. Both Ryan and Nate cried out, grabbing at the cold wrist that held firm to their arms.

Nate followed the strangely pale and surprisingly strong arm up until his eyes saw a beautiful blond haired woman with amber coloured eyes. If he wasn't so frightened, he'd be certain that he was looking at a beautiful angel. Beside him, Ryan cried as he begged for her to let go of him. While she leaned forward slightly, Nate instinctively pulled away, struggling to loosen his arm from the woman's grip.

She inhaled and winced.

"You both smell just like those mongrels. Their disgusting scent is all over you. You're close to them. Very close," she sneered. "Which one of you belongs to the leader of those murderous mutts?"

Neither Nate or Ryan replied. In fact, neither of them even heard the question. Their focus was on the pain radiating from their upper arm from the tight grip she had on it and the intense fear of knowing that they were in trouble. Instead, they both cried, tears pouring down their faces as they sobbed and begged for the woman to let them go. After all, they were just little boys and they were terrified.

"You're hurting me," Ryan whined, pulling at the immovable hand. "My arm hurts."

"Please, let me go!" Nate begged. "I want to go home."

"I'll let you go once you answer my question!" The woman shouted, suddenly letting go of Ryan's arm before swiftly grabbing ahold of his chin to force him to look into her eyes. Ryan's sobbing face was mere inches from her own, his mouth pinched between her thumb and fingers. His hands were grabbing at her own, desperately pulling once again at her arm in a feeble attempt to make her let go of him.

"Who is your father?"

Ryan continued to sob, too fearful to even answer let alone speak.

"Who is your father?!"

"Paul Lahote!" Nate screamed boldly back at the woman while Ryan continued to sob. He couldn't keep his eyes off his little cousin and best friend as he sobbed. "His dad is Paul Lahote. He's my Uncle Paul. Now please, let us go!"

The woman smirked, glancing over at Nate, whom she still held in her hand firmly.

"You two are cousins?"

Nate nodded as the woman looked between the two boys before turning back to Nate.

"And your father?"

"J...Jacob Black."

The name suddenly seemed to echo a memory within the woman's mind. She chuckled lightly to herself before moving at the speed of light and grabbing Nate as well by the chin.

"Black," the woman sneered, as though she was tasting the name on her tongue. She pulled Nate closer to her face, her breath blowing against his skin as she spoke. "Now that's a name I recall the Cullen's talking about at one time. Is he the leader of the pack of dogs?"

Nate coughed and struggled as much as Ryan did beside him.

"W...we don't have dogs," Nate replied honestly, causing the woman to burst out in laughter, her chuckle resembling the ringing of bells as they echoed around them.

"It doesn't matter," she suddenly said, glaring at the two boys she held within each of her hands. "The mongrels will pay for destroying my Laurent. I'll take something from them that is equally precious to them."

Suddenly, she dropped them from her grip, causing both boys to fall to the forest floor. Ryan continued to cry unabashedly while Nate began to panic as he realized that inhaling was nearly impossible. He gasped and coughed, completely oblivious to what the woman was saying. He felt Ryan grab his hand.

At one point, Nate saw the woman raise her hand above her as though she was about to strike them.

"I don't care what the Cullen's may say about your tribe. I'll make that pack of mutts hurt like they hurt me!" She shouted, as a howl suddenly reverberated around them.

The woman looked instantly frightened, as did the boys.

"Damn it," she muttered.

As the growls suddenly got louder, Ryan and Nate felt themselves being pulled before finding themselves standing precariously near the top of a large oak tree. Ryan slipped slightly, before frantically grabbing ahold of a branch beneath his arms and he used his feet to keep himself in place. He was careful not to move too much. The tree groaned with his shaky movements. Meanwhile, Nate quickly wrapped his arms around the trunk of the tree, along the same branch that Ryan was holding onto. The strange woman was gone and the sound of growls disappeared within the forest, leaving only Nate's deep coughs and wheezy inhales.

"Nate?" Ryan softly called out, afraid to move too much.

There was a brief pause and a wheeze before he heard a response.

"I can't," Nate began, before taking a breath, "breathe."

Ryan looked over at his cousin who held onto the tree trunk. His back was towards him and Ryan could see Nate's back moving in a desperate need to get a decent breath.

Ryan had no idea why his cousin couldn't breathe, where the woman had disappeared to or what all the growling in the woods was from. But he did know that they were in trouble.

"Help!" He finally called out, his voice echoing within the quiet forest. Tears fell from his eyes as he weakly called out again, his body shaking slightly from the immense fear of falling from the tree.

A sudden whining sound from the base of the tree caught his attention. Ryan looked down to see movement on the ground before a loud howl echoed throughout the forest.

The sound startled both boys as it sounded extremely close.

"Was that a wolf?" Ryan whispered as he cried, looking fearfully at the ground beneath them before pinching his eyes shut. "I want to go home."

* * *

Down at La Push beach, the day couldn't have been nicer. The sun was shining low in the early evening sky as the light wind began to blow in the salty sea brine further inland. After Sue's insistence, Jo finally sat down to enjoy the company of friends. She looked over at Billy to see that Liam had finally fallen asleep in his grandfather's arms. Jacob was having a great time playing with the other guys. It had been a while since everyone had gotten together. With children, work and families, the old pack rarely got together as they used to. To watch the guys play soccer, antagonize one another as they used to as the aggression and competition heated up was like taking a step back in time.

The adults-only soccer game didn't last long, once the younger kids were begging to join in. Soon, five year olds Jonah Cameron, twins Danielle and Derek Call were running after the ball amonst the adults while little Shawn Uley sat high on Sam's shoulders, cheering on both teams. From the sandy sidelines, Claire entertained the other younger kids; Sarah Black and her cousin Amy Lahote, and Jonah's little sister, Jenna Call.

For Jacob, as fun as it was to have these parties while the pack was still together, enjoying it with their families was extra special. Now that they were playing with the kids, it was obvious that the entire group toned it down when it came to thier aggression. Jared even purposely tripped while Derek was trying to get the ball away from him.

Jo laughed from where she sat, knowing full well that Jared was so light on his feet that he'd never stumble. She was so engrossed in watching the big boys and little kids play that she barely noticed someone slump into the empty chair beside her.

"So, I met a guy."

Jo turned and looked to see Leah sitting beside her, staring out at the game as they played.

"And I have a problem."

Jo looked around, seeing that no one else seemed to be paying attention to them, which explained why Leah suddenly decided to carry on the conversation of this particular topic. Rachel was sitting with her feet up, while Emily, Michelle, Sue, Billy, Charlie and Kim were laughing at the antics on the field.

When they had first met, Leah didn't like Jo. In fact, she didn't want anything to do with her. For Leah, to have someone suddenly show up in their lives, claiming to be a cousin and come into their home while being welcomed with open arms by the pack felt like a slap in the face. Yet over time, she found herself being able to relate to Jo and becoming more concerned for her wellbeing after realizing that someone had been after her. For the first time in a long time, she finally had a friend whom she felt that she could really talk to, without the fear of being stabbed in the back. After all, Leah's track record when it came to trusting a cousin wasn't a great one. Except Jo just wasn't a cousin anymore; she was also her pack sister, her only sister. Both the wolf within and Leah recongnized it and bonded with her as she had been unable to with the guys.

"What is it?"

Leah finally looked to Jo with a slight expression of pain in her eyes.

"I like him," she stated, as though it was the most horrible thing in the world. "Like, a lot."

Jo smiled.

"That's great Leah!"

Except she shook her head and winced.

"No, it's not," she told her, keeping her voice down.

"I'm not following. What's the problem then?"

"I didn't imprint."

"Well, neither did Embry," Jo reminded her, glancing out to where the guy was currently chasing after his daughter, Danielle before he picked up and swung her high up on his shoulders. Jo smiled. "And look at him, he's happy."

"Yeah, yeah, I get that," Leah told her with a sigh. "But I'm afraid of what would happen if I suddenly did. I would be no better than Sam, and that's something I don't want to be."

Jo sighed, reconginzing her concern. She recalled it being the exact same one that Embry had for his wife Michelle. As suited as they were for one another, he had once been afraid of hurting her and ultimately his family. Jo recalled the conversation he had one night with Jacob on their front step and hoped those same words of wisdom from her husband would provide comfort to her cousin.

"Okay," Jo began, thinking about her words. "Think about it this way - What if you and this guy were brought together by some great spirit? One just like the one who supposedly shows the wolf their imprint. It may not have been just a random happenstance that you met him but a divine appointment. Who knows why most of us imprinted when it's supposed to be rare. The elders can't even figure it out and the whole theory that it's for joining the best genes to create the next generation is just crazy. But Lee, you can't keep your life on hold, especially when you have met someone that you genuinely like and who makes you happy."

Leah paused as she thought and stared out at the guys playing soccer. Derek went to kick the ball and slipped in the sand just as Embry caught him by the shoulders, righting him.

"Do you really think it's crazy? The elders theory behind imprinting?"

"Honestly, all of us shape shifters obviously had parents who weren't imprinted," Jo stated. "And I have to admit that we were a pretty tough team of wolves. I don't know how a group could be any stronger just by combining the right genes."

Leah snorted and smirked. "I guess Quil's imprinting on Claire may have blown their theory out of the water as well. The poor guy is going to be perpetually 18 for the next decade."

Jo smiled, watching the guys play.

"Where is he anyways?"

"Who?"

"Quil," Leah replied. "He's not playing with the guys."

"Jake mentioned that Quil, Brady and Collin are rotating patrol this evening."

Leah nodded in understanding as her eyes found Collin, but not Brady.

"Is Brady out on patrol too?"

"He's probably relieving Quil" Jo replied. "I haven't seen him yet."

They both laughed as they watched Jared and Paul crash into each other before the kids scrambled to get the ball out from underneath Paul. Jo suddenly nudged Leah in the side with her elbow.

"So, when do I get to meet this mystery man?"

Leah smiled. "Soon," she replied. "He wants to meet the family."

"And by family does that include your extended and extremely loving family?"

Leah rolled her eyes at Jo. "Yes, but you have to tell Jake to go easy on him. I know Seth and Charlie will already be threatening him with the mention of guns and police work. I don't need Jake going all 'big brother' on me as well."

Jo nodded and smiled before looking back at the soccer game. When a sudden small voice called out a frantic 'Mommy!', it seemed that every mother's ear was perked and everyone began to look around. It wasn't until Emily quickly stood up that Jo could see that it was Talon running along the beach towards where they sat. It was obvious that he was upset as Emily met him as he quickly came up to the group of umbrella's.

"Nate and Ryan," Talon sobbed as he tried to speak and catch his breath at the same time. The mention of their sons instantly caught the interest of Rachel and Jo. They weren't the only ones who overheard the frantic cries of the Uley's oldest son. The soccer game had come to a pause once Sam made a quick gesture to the others when he saw his oldest son in visible distress. He and the others jogged over to the umbrella's as Jo pushed herself up to stand, while Rachel struggled in her chair to get up.

Emily had crouched down in front of her son, brushing his tears from his face as she shushed him to calm down.

"Now, tell me what's wrong?"

"A ghost...a ghost took them," he sobbed, looking up at Sam as the man approached.

"What?" Emily asked, confusion evident on her face. "Talon you're not making any sense."

"What's going on?" Jacob asked as he and the others came over to see what had gotten Sam's attention. Paul had taken Rachel's hand, helping her to get up while he watched Talon as he spoke. The young boy looked from Jacob over to Paul before turning back to his Dad. Tears began to fall once again.

"They disappeared."

"What? Who disappeared?" Sam asked firmly.

"Nate and Ryan," he sobbed, as the words sunk in around the group. "Dad, I'm sorry. Me, Nate and Ryan went into the woods..."

A sudden growl seemed to come from Paul, but Rachel's calm hand on his chest suddenly placated that sudden rise of his inner wolf. Jacob felt similarly as did Jo and Sam. Their children all knew they weren't to go into the woods alone. Despite the fact that there hadn't been any sign of vampires in years, old habits died hard. At the same time, the parents didn't want the children to happen to see either Quil, Brady or Collin during one of their routine patrols that the trio kept up.

"You know that you're not to go into the woods on your own," Sam growled at his son.

Talon nodded. "I know but Ryan wanted to show us some waterfalls up by the river. I stopped at the bottom of a hill to rest. I heard Nate and Ryan talking. And then they suddenly disappeared."

"I know that I shouldn't have shown him that waterfall," Paul growled softly, his hands balled into fists. Rachel calmly took a clenched fists and held it within her hand, willing it to open so she could it.

Of all of them, Paul had the toughest time when it came to stop phasing. He was one of the last to finally stop. His tendency towards anger didn't help at all. Rachel was his coping mechanism. She could instantly calm the wolf within.

Jo saw Rachel smile softly at her. The pack could all sense Paul's anger. The only ones who seemed to be oblivious to it all, were the two who weren't aware of the pack's existence - Michelle Call and Charlie Swan. Their concern simply remained on Talon's claims that the boys had disappeared.

Charlie watched Talon as he spoke. Although he never fully raised children, let alone boys, he knew exactly what they were like. He had recalled the outrageous stories that Billy had told him about how Jacob would tease and trick his older sisters. Besides, he had been a young boy once himself and pulled his fair share of stunts.

"You sure the boys aren't just pulling your leg?" Charlie asked, skeptical as everyone regarding the whole supposed disappearance. He crouched down beside Emily to look Talon in the eyes. "They could have been trying to scare you to think that they disappeared. Chances are, they're hiding behind a tree in the woods."

Talon shook his head emphatically.

"No, Chief Swan," he said looking at him, afraid of the gruff police chief. "I saw the ghost take them."

Charlie snorted. "Ghosts aren't real, son."

"But I saw it. I swear!" he told them, turning to look at his Dad. "It was fast. It appeared just before disappearing again."

Charlie smiled, all the more convinced now that Billy's grandson's were playing a trick on the Uley's kid and did a good job of scaring him.

When a sudden howl echoed onto the beach, the pack instantly turned their attention to the woods. Instinct called to them. Even Billy and Old Quil seemed to pay attention as they listened, their eyes scanning the tree line.

They all knew what that howl meant - vampire on their land.


	4. Chapter 4

The howl lasted for a good five seconds followed by a series of frantic barks before fading into silence once again.

The pack hadn't heard that call before and although Billy couldn't pin point exactly what it meant, he knew it wasn't good. He wasn't the only one who sensed the ominous tone within that low drone.

It sent shivers down Charlie Swan's back.

"Whoa," he said, standing up. "It's been a while since we've heard wolves in these parts. I would've thought that the pack that had been frequenting the area a few years back had up and left."

"Just because you don't hear them anymore doesn't mean that they aren't still around, Charlie," Billy gently reminded him, keeping his voice down to prevent his grandson who slept soundly in his arms from awakening. The Forks police chief had no idea how much truth there was behind Billy's words.

Emily turned to look seriously at her son, who stood in front of her. His attention was also turned towards the woods, his own ears naturally tuned to the wolf call as much as Sam's. She put her hands on either of his arms, quickly gaining Talon's attention.

"Where is your sister?" She asked sternly.

Talon took a quick ragged breath.

"Sh...she's by the river where it comes out to the ocean."

Emily looked up to Sam.

"You don't think Lizzie would go after the boys, do you?"

Sam sighed and clenched his fist.

"I wouldn't doubt it."

"Are the wolves going to get Nate, Ryan and Lizzie?!" Talon suddenly exclaimed, tears in his eyes once again before his arms wrapped tightly around Emily's neck.

"I wouldn't worry about the wolves, son," Billy said, smiling at the boy as he clung onto Emily. "By the sounds of it, that wolf is a good distance away from La Push. Besides, wolves have a tendency to stay away from people and the ones around these parts have never hurt anyone."

Billy's smile faded as he glanced over at Jacob, seeing the extreme concern on his face before his son looked over at the men around them. For a brief moment, he saw the spirit warriors rise up behind their calm facade. They all turned their attention towards Jacob. Their natural tendency to obey their Alpha was still rooted deeply within them. With simple nods and looks, Billy could see an entire unspoken conversation transpire right before his very eyes.

"Well, that's a good thing I guess," Charlie said with a sigh, as he turned away from the tree line. "Especially for the kids but someone should go and let those boys know that their game is over."

Jacob nodded, clapping Charlie on the shoulder jovially while the pack disbursed around them, knowing the orders that had been given.

"Yeah, we've got it covered. A few of us are going to head out and find them and see what's going on."

Jacob moved past him and took Jo's hand and together they moved away from the umbrella's and other listening ears. He reached into his pocket and passed his keys, cell phone and wallet to her; three things he didn't want to have with him when he phased. When he looked up at her he could see the argument forming behind her eyes. She was intending to come along despite her already knowing that he had silently requested that she stayed on the beach with Collin, Jared and Seth.

"I need you to stay here," Jacob told her. "Protect the elders, the families and the children."

"Jacob," Jo spoke angrily through her teeth, yet fear was clearly evident in her face. "That wasn't just a vampire call that Quil sent out. He was alerting the pack to potential danger. If Nate is out there and a bloodsucker has him...Jake, if it's the Volturi that's finally come..."

Jacob quickly put his hands on either side of Jo's face, giving pause to her fears.

"We'll find him. For all we know, Quil and Brady may have already found the boys and taken down the vampire. It may not even be the Volturi," he said quickly, cutting her off from any other dark thoughts before gently kissing her lips. He paused as he inhaled her scent, steadying his own anger and fears for just a moment.

He couldn't help but wonder himself it it was the Volturi that had finally returned. With knowing that a vampire had been sighted in the area earlier in the week and now, was possibly near his own son caused his muscles to tense and begin to tremble. Jacob fisted his hands, not wanting to draw unwarranted attention from Charlie Swan or Michelle Call. Jo quickly pocketed his keys, wallet and phone before she enclosed her hands around Jacob's fists, feeling the trembling beneath her palms.

Jo glanced towards where Embry was crouching in front of his five year old twins, Danielle and Derek as they stood beside Michelle, telling them to stay close by. She watched as Michelle kissed Embry before he smiled, albeit forced with his assurance that he'll be back as soon as the boys were found.

All around them, the knowing wives were bidding soft whispers of 'be careful' and 'good luck' while their children waved, completely oblivious to the realities that their fathers had once lived in and were about to encounter once again. For all they knew, this could be the beginning of another, bloody battle against a force that they had assumed had long forgotten about them.

"But if it is the Volturi," Jacob stated softly, yet seriously, "I'll let out a signal. You'll need to get these children, the elders...everyone here as far away from La Push as possible. You're in charge."

Jo opened her mouth as though she was a going to protest while she shook her head.

"Jake, I can't. You're the Alpha. And I can't tear apart these families. I'm not going to leave you all to die."

He could see the tears in her eyes and the emotion in her voice as she spoke softly.

"If the pack and tribe are in danger, these people need to be brought to safety," Jacob told her, squeezing her hand. "As the Alpha female, I'd need you to leave and not come back until you'd hear from one of us. I'm not going to risk the future of the tribe or the pack."

Jo looked at the ground and shook her head.

"I don't know if I can do this," she said quickly, before taking a quick inhale of a breath. "The wolf is itching to go with you, to find Nate."

"I know," Jacob said, leaning forward to kiss her forehead. "But you have to do this. I need you to do this."

"I know," she whispered, clenching her teeth. "I love you."

Jacob smirked. "I love you too. I will find our son. And I'll rip apart any bloodsucker that stands in my way."

Jo nodded silently just as Sam, Paul, Leah and then Embry approached them.

"Are we done talking here? We have a bloodsucker to hunt down and some kids to bring home," Paul stated, his jaw already clenched as he felt his anger build up within him.

Jacob nodded with a low growl, before giving Jo's hand a final squeeze. She could feel his muscles buzzing with electricity as he fought them from phasing.

She watched as the group jogged towards the tree line and were soon out of sight. Jo walked back towards the umbrella's noting how Seth, Jared and Collin appeared to be looking at her from where they stood. The hierarchy had suddenly shifted with Jacob's absence, and Jo could feel it. The remaining pack members recognized her as their leader and knew what they'd have to do should the situation arise that they'd need to quickly leave.

Jo silently nodded to the other three, before looking at the small group of children, including her daughter playing in the sand. Kim sat with Emily beside the children, keeping themselves occupied while ensuring that the kids didn't wander off. Michelle spoke with Rachel, asking her about her pregnancy, oblivious to what was really going on around them at the moment. Jo could tell that Rachel's conversation with Michelle was forced, but at the same time, it was keeping her distracted. She was feeling as upset about the whole situation as Jo was; her husband and son were gone as well. But knowing she could go into labour at any time, Rachel knew the importance of keeping calm.

None of them knew how much their lives could change once they'd get that call from the pack to evacuate.

Jo walked over towards where the elders sat and found that Billy and Old Quil had been watching her. Although the two men were not officially pack members, they had a deep intuition that seemed to connect them to the supernatural around the woods of La Push.

Seth had moved to sit protectively at one end of the small group, beside his Mom and Charlie, before Charlie began speaking to him about going on a planned fishing trip in a few days. Jo smiled as she sat down at the other end beside Billy. Liam was still fast asleep in Billy's arms.

Billy reached out and put his hand on Jo's knee.

"Everything will be fine."

Jo smiled weakly and took ahold of Billy's hand before looking at her son sleeping on his grandfather's lap.

"It's been so long," she told him, her eyes drifting towards the tree line. "Why would they come for Nate now?"

"You don't even know if it's about Nate."

Jo ran her free hand over her face. She wanted nothing more than to run off into the woods to find out for herself. She'd endure the pain of phasing if it meant knwoing that Jacob and Nate were fine.

"It's not just that. If it came down to it, I don't know if I'd have the strength to get everyone out of here. I'd be splitting up families and possibly leaving Jacob behind to fight without a full pack." She paused, looking over at Seth who had heard her words from across the fire.

"The pack knows their duties; what Jacob has told them to do in order for the pack to continue to protect the land. For the Alpha, that is the most important thing. Besides, you know Jacob's heart."

Jo sighed and looked into the fire and nodded.

Billy smiled weakly before gently taking his hand and brushing his finger along Liam's cheek.

"He'd protect his family at any cost."

* * *

All around her, the forest looked alive. Every gust of wind seemed to bring life to the inanimate objects in the woods. From the leaves crunching beneath her feet to the agonizing crack of a tree branch above, they all seemed to make her heart race faster. All Lizzie Uley wanted to do was to find out where Nate and Ryan were, which according to her younger brother, both had been taken by a ghost. Although Lizzie knew that there was no such thing as ghosts, something had scared Talon and her imagination couldn't help but torment her about it.

They had grown up listening to the countless scary stories from Billy Black. Billy was an excellent story teller and could bring characters to life as he spoke. He also knew where to draw the line when it came to the types of stories to tell the next generation. Although most they'd never hear, there were a few that the older boys begged him to retell over and over. Ultimately, Lizzie knew it well. It didn't help that it was a particular one about ghosts living in the woods around La Push that would protect the tribe. It was a good enough reason to explain to the younger kids as to why they should stay out of the woods. Yet in the same breath Billy and their parents would tell them that there was nothing to fear in the woods and that they were safe.

At the moment, it didn't matter how many times she had been told that there was no such thing as ghosts. Her rational side tried to convince herself that the boys were simply hiding in the woods and would jump out at any moment, scaring her and causing her to scream before they'd laugh uncontrollably.

Lizzie felt more and more convicted with every step that she took. She knew that she wasn't supposed to be in the woods. She followed the river; the same worn path that the boys had taken. Lizzie had long passed the place where Talon had said he had last seen Ryan and Nate. She hoped that they would simply get bored of whatever game they were playing. She was also well aware that time was going by and she knew that before long, Talon would have made it back to their parents, informing them of what happened. Knowing that she was undoubtedly going to be in some sort of trouble, she was already formulating her argument. After all, she was only going after the boys. If they hadn't gone into the woods, she wouldn't be there looking for them in the first place.

When a sudden howl echoed throughout the forest, Lizzie quickly looked around. The sound seemed to be quite close. For a moment, she was sure that she even heard growling and snarls.

Lizzie backed up against a tree, her eyes darting in every direction.

"Ryan? Nate?" She called out softly, afraid to alert the animal that was making such menacing sounds out in the distance. At the same time, she was afraid for her friends. Even if they had been hiding as part of a mean trick, they could now be in serious trouble.

A sudden flash of colour caught her eye and she gasped, before something grabbed ahold of her pigtails, pulled her back and spun her around. It happened so fast. Lizzie felt one hand wrap carefully around her neck while the other held tight to her hair. Her eyes were wide in shock as she attempted to scream.

Nothing but a high pitch screech managed its way up her throat before she felt something cool brush against her ear.

"Don't scream," a cold voice breathed into her ear, while the hand around her neck tightened.

Instinctively, Lizzie scratched at the hand that held onto her, desperate to get a full breath. It wasn't going to let go and it barely allowed her to breathe.

She was afraid. Tears began pouring from her eyes as she frantically tugged at the wrist that held onto her neck with ease.

"Damn you," she heard the woman's voice from behind her curse before the sound of growls caught Lizzie's attention.

Lizzie looked to where the sounds were coming from. What stood in front of her nearly twenty yards away rivalled every nightmare she had ever had.

A large, fur covered creature, with eyes nearly glowing in the early evening light growled, showing its teeth. Its heckles were raised as it appeared ready to attack. By its sheer size, Lizzie was certain that it was as large as a horse.

"Take one step and I snap her neck," the woman said sweetly behind Lizzie.

The creature didn't move, but Lizzie found that she was suddenly being pulled backward. Her feet had left the ground and within a blink of an eye, she was rolling down the side of the hill towards the river. Pain from rolling over rocks and twigs along with jutting up roots assaulted her body before she finally came to a stop.

Lizzie was laying on her stomach on the muddy bank of the river. It took her a moment to regain her senses, let alone figure out what had just happened. She coughed, as she rolled over, wincing at the pain she felt. Either than being cold and covered in mud, Lizzie was all right. It wasn't until she tried to push herself up to stand that she felt a sudden pain shoot up from her ankle.

She sobbed as she cried out. Unsure whether it was broken or sprained, Lizzie sat back down in the mud and gently touched it, feeling the tender swelling that had begun on her right ankle.

Lizzie rubbed the tears from her eyes before she pushed her sock down over her ankle to see that not only was it swollen, but it was bleeding as well.

When the sound of snarls and growls echoed down along the river, she quickly put her hand over her mouth in an effort to silence her crying. Images of the monster that she had seen in the woods flooded her mind. For a moment, she thought that perhaps that was the ghost that Talon had seen.

Panic began to set in when she realized that it could come back for her. Her mind went to Nate and Ryan, who may have been found by the giant wolf and could have been killed themselves. That thought filled her with agonizing sadness. All she wanted to do was wake up from the nightmare.

Lizzie shivered as she tried to hide herself within the tall grasses along the river.

"I want to go home," she sobbed softly, as tears poured down her face.

* * *

Although phasing was as natural as breathing, to do it for the first time in many years was nearly as painful as it had been the first time. Their bodies were simply not used to it, but the feeling soon passed as the pack raced towards Quil's location. For Quil, he had gotten used to sharing his thoughts with only two other pack members. To have the others back, was both an odd yet comforting feeling. He knew how to hide his thoughts as the others had, but to have the physical presense of the pack was something his wolf relished in.

' _Damn it, Quil. This isn't a party.'_

 _'Have you found the kids?'_

 _'What about the vampire?'_

 _'Are the royal vampires coming back?'_

 _'Where are the leeches?!'_

 _'Lizzie is out here somewhere.'_

The voices flooded his mind. Quil looked up at the tree above him and whimpered.

' _Found the boys_ ,' he told them, showing them how he had scented the vampire woman with the two boys just as she was about to kill them.

Quil quickly shown them images from his perspective of Brady taking off after her, after she had left the two boys in the tree.

 _'I don't think she was expecting two of us. I think she was hoping that leaving the boys in the tree would help her get away_ ,' Quil concluded, looking up into the tree. ' _They're up a good thirty feet.'_

' _Brady, you got that leech?'_

Brady's thoughts as he chased after her as the vampire darted in and around the trees were shared with the pack.

 _'I don't think she's one of the Volturi_ ,' Brady thought, answering the questions from when the pack phased in. ' _She reminds me of that blond leech that lived with the Cullen's. She has yellow eyes as well just like they do.'_

Quil confirmed Brady's report, showing them his memory of first seeing her in the woods with the two boys.

' _Dammit_ ', Brady's mind shouted fearfully before the sound of Lizzie's screech echoed in the forest to their keen ears before they saw the image of the blond vampire using he young girl as a shield. When she threatened her life, they heard Brady growl just as loudly as Sam.

 _'I know her_ ,' Leah thought, replaying a memory of Seth's that he had shared with her from Bella and Edward's wedding. The vampire had been a guest of theirs and had been bitter against the pack for killing a friend of hers.

' _Now the bitch is back to take her revenge on our defenceless children_!' Embry growled.

Sam growled, eager to kill the vampire who held his daughter. Before Jacob could even give the order for him to join Brady, they watched through Brady's eyes as the vampire backed to run just as something blurred past her and knocked Lizzie over, sending the girl down a hill towards the bank of a river. Confused slightly over what his eyes had just missed, Brady watched, torn between going after the vampire and checking on Lizzie.

' _Kill that bitch_!' Sam growled, just as Jacob concurred, having heard his exclamation.

Brady raced through the woods after her just as Jacob nodded to Sam to go after Lizzie, while sending Embry and Leah to help Brady find the vampire.

' _Catch that leech. Whether or not she's a Cullen, she was on our land and threatened the lives of our children. That is one thing that we will not stand for. Rip her apart!.'_

The pack barked out their approval.

Paul and Jacob made their way towards Quil, watching through his eyes what was happening.

' _Jake, there's something wrong with Nate_ ,' Quil said, listening to the boys high in the tree. ' _For some reason, he can't breathe._ '

They all felt Jacob's fear. It was nearly overwhelming.

' _What do you mean he can't breathe?'_

' _Just what I said - he can't breathe,_ ' Quil replied, equally upset. ' _His heart is racing and he's coughing, but he's unable to get a decent breath.'_

Jacob listened through Quil's ears, hearing the wheeze that he had heard once when Nate was younger and was sick. They had put him on a puffer for a month after he had been sick with viral pneumonia.

' _He's not sick though_ ,' Paul reminded Jacob as he ran beside him.

Jacob ran faster. ' _Something isn't right_.'

As they approached Quil's location, the two wolves paused and phased back before quickly putting on their shorts. Both Paul and Jacob ran towards the tree while pulling their shirts over his head.

Hearing their approach, Quil moved away from the tree to phase back himself.

Jacob looked up the tall pine tree, seeing the slight colour of Ryan's bright shirt through the branches high up in the tree.

"Ryan!?" Paul yelled out. "Nate?!"

"Daddy!" Ryan's voice echoed back down, obvious exuberance in his voice.

"We're here buddy! Me and your Uncle Jake are going to get you down. Is Nate there with you?"

Ryan looked over at his cousin as Nate held tight to the trunk of the tree, breathing audibly and coughing every so often. His back moved with each breath that he took.

"Yeah, but somethings wrong with him," Ryan replied, crying as he spoke. It was obvious that he wasn't only scared for thier situation but also for whatever was going on with his cousin.

"Nate?!" Jacob suddenly called up.

The boy didn't respond.

"Daddy, I'm scared!" Ryan called out.

"Okay buddy!" Paul yelled, clenching his jaw. "We're coming up to get you boys!"

Jacob looked over at Quil as he stood beside them, his arms crossed in front of him while he looked up the tree.

"Spot us," he said, while Quil nodded.

Quil watched as Paul and Jacob grabbed the lowest branches and began to climb the tree. Their agility and strength proved to make the task go by quickly. But as they moved higher, the tree began to sway with their weight. It was obvious that Ryan noticed as he began to sob.

"Stay near the centre!" Quil called out, his hands cupped around his mouth. "You're weight is swaying the tree."

Both Paul and Jacob heeded the direction and moved towards the trunk as they continued to climb.

Ryan was looking down towards where Paul and Jacob were climbing and tried to move towards them as they approached.

"No!" Paul called out. "Stay there. I'll come and get you."

Ryan nodded silently and waited as Paul came closer and closer, ensuring that every step he took would hold his weight. As they approached the boys, a strong stench of vampire scent seemed to get stronger. Paul had to pause as he ground his teeth.

He wasn't the only one who noticed.

"Ignore it," Jacob told him softly, clenching his teeth. He looked up at his son and nephew to ensure they weren't able to hear their words. "The leech touched the boys. It's only going to get stronger the closer we get to them."

Paul nodded and continued to climb.

"That bitch had better be dust by now," he grunted.

The moment that Paul reached Ryan, he grabbed his shoulder and steadying his balance on the branch, took his arms and pulled the boy towards him. Ryan let out a squeal of fear and pinched his eyes shut.

"Wrap your arms around my neck and your legs around my waist," Paul told him as the boy quickly obeyed. Using one hand to hold onto the tree and the other to ensure that his son was tucked safely against him, Paul looked over at Jacob as he neared Nate.

The vampire aroma was strong, but it simply fueled their desire to get the boys back safely onto the ground.

Jacob put his hand on Nate's shoulder, causing the boy to open his eyes. He ran his hand over Nate's forehead. It was sweaty and his skin was pale.

"I can't breathe," Nate whispered between a wheeze.

Jacob nodded, taking Nate's arms and pulled him into his own. Nate coughed, trying to get a deeper breath.

"Don't worry," Jacob said, not only to Nate but to himself as well. "I'm going to get you some help."

Jacob held tight to Nate and looked down towards where Quil was waiting for them on the ground.

Even without speaking, Paul knew that Jacob had to get down as quickly as possible. Paul looked down at Ryan.

"Close your eyes," he told him. "Going down wont be as scary."

Ryan nodded and obeyed, closing his eyes. Paul looked over at Jacob and nodded before the pair began swiftly climbing down the tree. A few times, they'd jump down a few branches, making it seem effortlessly. When they were within ten feet of the ground, both Paul and Jacob jumped forward, clearing the tree before they landed on the ground.

While Paul quickly placed Ryan on the ground before instinctively ensuring that his son wasn't harmed, Jacob sat Nate on the ground, and listened to his breathing. He turned to Quil.

"Run back to the beach," Jacob said. "Tell Jo that I'm taking..."

His voice drifted off as a scent blew towards them. Quil recognized it as well as he moved closer to the others in an effort to protect the two scared boys. Paul pushed Ryan behind him, while Jacob turned towards the acidic scent.

"Is that...?" Paul asked.

Quil shook his head

"No, this one is different."

Another vampire.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Thank you for all the reviews, PM's, new favourites and followers. I switched internet providers on Monday and had a few hiccups over the past few days with it not working with my router, but I'm back online._**

 ** _For those who had asked in PM's, I'll answer them here for anyone else who may have the same questions -_**

 ** _Yes, we will spring forward 10 years shortly._**

 ** _Yes, the Cullen's will return, but for a very specific reason. They left to protect the tribe and they wouldn't return unless it was absolutely necessary, or if someone felt the need to return for another more selfish reason(haha...we'll get to that one later)._**

 ** _No, no plans to kill any of the pack members._**

 ** _No, Nathaneal's life will not mirror that to Jacob's...his will be a completley different story._**

 ** _I welcome any other questions and I'll answer them as we go along as to not ruin the story too soon._**


	5. Chapter 5

As the sun began to quickly lower over the horizon, the sounds of the impending nightfall soon filled the forest. Crickets chirped as darkness started to settle. Feeling sweaty, yet being chilled all over and shaking uncontrollably, Lizzie suddenly found herself unable to keep her eyes open. Lizzie had laid down among the tall grasses along the river's edge. She was barely aware of the pain in her ankle, or the activity that was suddenly around her. Not even the cool touch of Carlisle Cullen to her neck startled her. Concerned, he gently pulled her eyelid up and moved his small flashlight from one eye to the other.

"Her pupils are responsive," he said aloud, audibly relieved. "I doubt that she has a concussion. She's lucky that she didn't hit her head or break something on the way down the embankment after you ran into Irina."

His voice was noticeable annoyed. This wasn't part of the plan when it came to stopping Irina and saving the young Quilleute girl. Carlisle glanced over at Alice as she crouched down beside him. She watched the young girl and shrugged.

"I told you that I had a plan," she admitted. "If I told you that I was going to charge Irina, you would have stopped me."

Carlisle pursed his lips before sighing and looking back at Lizzie.

"If she doesn't have a concussion, why isn't she waking up?"

Carlisle looked over his shoulder to where Edward stood, watching the surrounding woods with caution and concern.

"She probably fainted. Her blood pressure is low." He paused as his eyes caught sight of the blood stained sock and the swollen ankle. He moved towards it and gently touched it. "Or perhaps the pain in her ankle was overwhelming. She can't be older than eight or nine. Poor thing was probably scared to death. Either way, we're going to wrap this ankle and clean up the cuts on it."

"Carlisle, I'm not sure that this is a good idea," Alice said, before wincing at the smell that came from Lizzie. "The pack could be here at any moment. They're probably looking for the girl."

"We're not going to leave her here like this," Carlisle stated firmly, before he sighed, gently pulling Lizzie's shoe off before placing his cool hands on either side of her foot, feeling the swelling and ensuring that it wasn't broken.

"You told us that this would happen, Alice. The least we can do is make sure that everyone is fine and clean up Irina's mess."

"And what about Irina?" Alice asked from where she stood beside Carlisle, with her arms crossed. "She's family, isn't she? Aren't we going to go help her?"

"She brought this upon herself. To come here and target their children was her decision," Edward stated bluntly from behind them. "You saw her decide."

"But we should do something," Alice whined. "Edward, you yourself know the importance of a second chance."

Edward clenched his teeth. He was torn between Alice's words and knowing that Irina deliberately went after the pack when she assured them many times that she had had gotten over what had happened to Laurent. But the Denali's should have known that even if she had come to terms with Laurent's death, it didn't mean that she was at peace with it. For a vampire, feelings remained for an eternity and he knew that. It was up to Irina on how she would deal with it. Irina obviously had never gotten over the fact that the pack had killed the man she loved and decided to seek her revenge against them. When the Denali's called, frantic over Irina's sudden disappearance, Alice instantly saw it. In fear of knowing Carlisle would want to go after her, she kept it to herself, until Edward read her thoughts. It angered Edward that Irina had decided to focus that revenge on innocent children; someone who wasn't even around at the time of Laurent's death.

At the same time, he knew the 'second chance' that Alice referred to. He had made mistakes in his past and Carlisle had welcomed him home. Edward would forever remember the faces of the people he had killed during his years of rebellion. They would haunt him for his entire existence. But this was different. This was all about revenge and he wasn't about to feel sorry for his cousin. After all, the man whom she tried to avenge, was once about to kill Bella before he was killed by the pack. Edward knew that if he had been there, he would've done everything in his power to stop Laurent and he knew that he'd ever be grateful to those wolves that they had been there that day so many years ago.

"Whatever happens to her, is her own doing. Besides, we aren't going to go chasing after her knowing that the pack are most likely hunting her down. I doubt that they would be in a mood to negotiate considering she threatened the life of one of their children."

"Unfortunately, Edward is right," Carlisle said softly as he began to wrap the large cut on Lizzie's swollen foot with gauze and then covered it with a large bandage. "Our focus should be helping this girl and fix the wrongs that Irina had done. Alice, I'm grateful that you had seen Irina's decisions and alerted us in time to get here to help this girl."

Alice rolled her eyes, glancing at Edward knowing it was he who had read her mind, who had seen the vision of Irina disappearing after heading south from Alaska towards Washington before he brought it to Carlisle's attention. He knew how the man felt about the Quilleute's. Edward also knew how Alice had agreed to watch Aro's decisions regarding Jacob Black's son, as it was not only Carlisle's desire that she did, but Bella's as well. If Alice had had her way, she would have cut ties with the pack completely.

"I still don't understand why we have to help the mutts. Sure, they kept our existence a secret from the world and allowed us to live near their land, but our alliance with them has ended years ago."

"I gave them my word that we would protect them," Carlisle said, looking at Alice. "Not only did I assure Jacob that we would keep an eye on Aro and his decisions regarding the pack, but I vowed to protect them. We knew that Irina was targetting them. Coming here to stop her was the least that we could do considering that they had kept our existence hidden from the outside world while we remained near their land."

Alice sighed.

"I really don't want to stick around to find out if the mutts are gracious for our help.". She paused and looked at Lizzie's face.

"Which one of them do you think she belongs to?"

"Sam Uley," Edward quickly replied, causing Carlisle to glance up at Edward where he stood, carefully watching the surrounding woods and listening for evidence of the pack's impending arrival. "I read her mind. She's Sam Uley's daughter."

Carlisle smirked as he ripped a piece of tape and wrapped it around the bandage, holding it in place. "That's a name I haven't heard in years."

When Edward's expression changed, Carlisle noticed.

"Carlisle," Edward suddenly said, his voice tense and insistent. "They're coming."

Alice stood up and looked in the direction that Edward was looking before shaking her head.

"I don't hear them, or smell them yet."

"Somehow, I can hear their thoughts," Edward told them curtly, his face wincing before he pinched his eyes shut. He put a hand to his forehead, and groaned as the current thoughts and recent memories of the pack runinng through the woods flooded Edward's mind.

"The pack mind is panicked. Their thoughts are extremely loud."

"Explains how you're able to hear them despite them not being close," Carlisle said, as he quickly gathered his supplies and stood up beside Lizzie as Alice put her hand on Edward's arm in concern.

"Irina?"

His brow creased before he shook his head, not willing to see the details of his cousins destruction through the eyes of the wolves. "She's gone. They caught up with her a few kilometers north of here."

"But...but something else is wrong. This girl wasn't the only one that Irina attacked."

The sound of distant growls echoed along the river. Edward's eyes darted open as a mental image became clear.

"Two boys not far from here - one of them is Jacob Black's boy."

"Nathaneal?" Carlisle asked, the name slipping easily off his tongue.

For months and then years after the birth of Jacob's son, Carlisle would think of the little boy that he assisted in bringing into the world and whom he had protected from Aro. During his human life and occasionally over the centuries, Carlisle had the opportunity to assist in delivering babies, but for some reason, Nate held a special place within his mind. It was no surprise that the mere mention of the boy caused concern within Carlisle.

Edward nodded.

"He needs help. He can't breathe."

"Where?"

Alice didn't need Edward's assistance in knowing what Carlisle was thinking. He was going to help. She instantly protested.

"Carlisle, you can't be serious," Alice exclaimed. "The wolves will attack the moment they see you."

"Not if they know that I can help. I'm a doctor and I'm going to do whatever I can to help them, especially if Irina caused whatever is going on with Nathaneal. You're welcome to go back home, but I'm going to help. Edward?"

He nodded, knowing that Carlisle was asking whether he was aware of where Nate currently was.

"Follow me," Edward said.

Within the blink of an eye, both Edward and Carlisle disappeared. Scoffing and letting out a hiss of frustration, Alice darted after them just as a pair of wolves moved towards the river's edge, their noses sniffing the air before growling deeply.

' _There was a leech here_ ,' Leah growled, turning her head towards Embry who had his nose to the ground. ' _Very close.'_

' _It's not the same as that blond that we ripped apart,_ ' he thought, as recent memories of the four wolves ripping the vampire apart came to mind. It satisfied the wolf despite the anger he felt knowing that the blond wasn't alone. _'We have to find Lizzie. She can't be far.'_

A growl up on the top of the hill where they had last seen Lizzie before she fell caught their attention. Sam's black wolf stood above, looking down before jumping down the steep embankment, leaping over protruding and low branches as he moved. He landed on the sandy shore before putting his nose to the ground. If Lizzie was around, her scent was being masked by that of the vampire and it angered his wolf.

When the sudden sound of muffled crying caught his ears, Sam whined. Instantly, he phased back on the side of the river, and quickly grabbed his shorts from his ankle and pulled them up before he ran towards the sound.

"Lizzie!?" He shouted frantically, his eyes darting quickly around the tall grass.

The strong scent of vampires nearly caused him to phase back once again. It hung thick in the air, covering Lizzie's scent from him. Sam growled.

Within seconds, Embry, Brady and Leah, all having phased back and dressed, were searching among the tall, thick grasses until Embry suddenly called out. Sam turned, watching as Embry disappeared down into the grass. Pushing his way through, he made his way towards his friend just as Embry stood back up, Lizzie in his arms.

"She's all right," he assured him, looking at the girl, her face covered in tears. She was visibly trembling before Embry carefully and quickly placed Lizzie in her father's arms.

Sam gasped, feeling the coolness of her skin against his own. "It's all right, baby. Daddy's got you."

He looked down at Lizzie, seeing her red eyes open as she pressed her face against Sam's chest, feeling the comfort and safety of her father holding her close.

"Hey Sam," Leah said, breaking his attention from his daughter's face. Leah took a step back from where her former Alpha stood holding his daughter in his arms. The scent of leech was overwhelming but it was the sight of the bandage on Lizzie's ankle that brought alarm to Leah.

"Check that out. Someone was here."

Sam looked at the end of Lizzie's leg to see the perfectly wrapped ankle that appeared to have been carefully taken care of. As much as he should have been concerned that Lizzie was covered with the scent of vampires, Sam was relieved that she was fine. Not even the mystery of who had taken care of her obvious injured ankle concerned him as it should have.

"We need to get Lizzie out of here," Sam said. "I'm going to need some cover in case there are more bloodsuckers around here."

Brady nodded, volunteering to escort him back to the beach. Meanwhile, Leah and Embry quickly darted back into the woods with the plans to double back and see if Jacob, Paul and Quil needed any help with the boys. The last they heard, Nate was having trouble breathing. Not knowing what was going on, and the possibility of there being another vampire in the area, they ran fast.

* * *

A deep growl threatened to roar out of Paul's chest as he stood with his son protectively shielded behind him. The last thing he wanted to do was frighten the boys with his behaviour but the wolf was on edge, even more so knowing that Ryan was in danger once again.

"Where is it?" He asked deeply.

"I don't know. I don't see it," Jacob replied, his attention unfocused as his ears not only listened to the sounds of the surrounding forest but Nate's rasping and deep coughing behind him.

And then they saw them.

For a moment, Jacob was certain that he was dreaming. After all, the Cullen's had assured them years ago that they would never return and yet, here they were.

"You've got to be shitting me," Paul mumbled under his breath, soft enough that the boys didn't hear but both Quil and Jacob had, and they both echoed that sentiment.

Not only was Dr. Cullen standing a good one hundred feet from them, but at his side stood not only the small, pixie girl but also the man that Jacob loathed. Edward. He hadn't changed at all over the years; they wouldn't have expected any of them to. They were creatures frozen forever in time.

The wolf within recognized them for who they were - the enemy on their land and it was itching to chase them down to destroy them. But the two innocent and frightened boys kept all three men from phasing then and there.

Jacob clenched his fists, willing the trembling within his muscles to cease as he spoke softly, knowing that the Cullen's could undoubtedly hear him.

"You're on our land. I suggest that you leave now before my pack does something that we will not regret," Jacob snarled, his lips curled over his teeth as he spoke.

"Jacob," Carlisle spoke, his voice even and calm. "The only reason that we have returned is because we were aware of a threat against the Quilleutes. We came to stop her. She was misguided and angry because the pack had once destroyed someone she cared about."

Jacob snorted. "Your kind don't have the capacity to care. You simply suck the life out of anyone you get close to...literally."

He had paused and glared at Edward, instantly bringing to mind Bella, knowing that the mind-reader would know exactly what he was implying.

"Besides, we don't need your help. I'm certain that that threat has already been taken care of."

Jacob smirked proudly as Carlisle sighed.

"Unfortunately, it has," he said softly. "And we understand the position you were in; your children were being threatened. We managed to prevent her from harming Sam Uley's daughter."

Jacob and the others hadn't been aware that Lizzie was in danger, but to hear that the vampire nearly hurt her caused his anger to flare.

"So you think that gives you a free pass onto our land?"

"We know that it doesn't," Edward snapped. "We know how you feel about us being here, but right now we'd like to help you."

Jacob scoffed. "How?"

"I can help your son," Carlisle told him, looking at how Nate was coughing and gasping for a breath between the fits. "If you'll let me."

As the wolves let out an automatic growl at the prospect of having the Cullen's come closer, Edward put his hand on Carlisle's shoulder, silently warning him. It wasn't until they saw both Embry and Leah came running on two feet towards where the Quilleute's were standing that he understood why.

Embry and Leah's eyes instantly focused on the vampires that were on their land and were angry when they realized that the two young boys stunk like them. It was obvious by Leah's cursing that she wasn't pleased to see the Cullen's. Her focus was solely on the trio that it took her ear a moment to realize that something was wrong with Nate.

Seeing Jacob standing protectively in front of the boy as he sat on the ground wheezing and coughing, caused her to suddenly go to Nate's side. She could sense his fear as he strained to get a full breath before coughing. Leah soothingly brushed Nate's hair away from his face, smiling comfortingly when his tired eyes locked onto hers. If Jacob was going to be protecting him, she'd comfort him and shield him from whatever was about to transpire within the woods. Her eyes quickly looked over at Paul to see he was doing the same to Ryan, not allowing the Cullen's to even see his son.

Embry walked up beside Jacob, not only giving them an increased advantage in numbers over the Cullen's, but also to further protect the children behind them.

"Get the hell off our land," Jacob growled, his lips curling back over his teeth.

When the sound of Nate coughing so much that he threw up reached Jacob's ears, he couldn't help but look back worriedly at his son. It was obvious that he was getting worse. Leaving Embry to stand in front of them, Jacob went to Nate's side across from Leah. He rubbed his son's back, reassuring him that he was all right despite his inability to breathe all the while as Nate continued to cough.

"We need to get him to Forks," Jacob concluded anxiously, looking to Leah, who nodded back at him.

"What about the leeches? I don't trust them."

Her eyes narrowed as she glared at the Cullen's. Jacob looked over his shoulder just as Carlisle spoke.

"Jacob, I have equipment at our house that can help him breath and we're much closer than you are to Forks."

The idea of bringing Nate into the Cullen's house caused Jacob to clench his fist. He pinched his eyes shut and took a deep breath, thinking of Jo in order to calm himself down.

"We wouldn't harm your boy," Edward told him. "We merely want to help him."

Jacob opened his eyes and looked down at Nate where his eyes were barely open as he wheezed with each strained breath. Finally, he looked to Leah before he reached down to pick Nate up in his arms.

"Two wolves with Nate at all times," he said softly, causing Leah to nod before he looked to Quil behind her who agreed silently.

Jacob turned, carrying Nate in his arms, speaking calmly to him that he was going to get him help.

"Only the doctor touches him," Jacob said, as Carlisle nodded.

In the blink of an eye, Edward disappeared, causing a momentary alarm with the wolves. Carlisle quickly explained how he had gone ahead to get things prepared for him.

After instructing Paul and Embry to take Ryan back to the beach and to let Jo, the rest of the pack and the elders know what was going on, Jacob, Leah and Quil ran through the woods towards the Cullen's house. Quil ran ahead while Leah had Jacob's flank. While he ran faster than an average human simply for Nate's sake, he held tight to his son, feeling his back contract with each strained breath that he took.

As the Cullen's house came into view, memories struck Jacob. It had been years since he had seen the house. Even now as he approached it, the old scent of vampire blew towards him. It wasn't as pungeant as he had remembered.

When he came to the door, Dr. Cullen was standing there eagerly before turning to lead him through the house towards what Jacob could only assume was his office. As they walked, scarce furniture sat with white sheets hanging over them like monumental ghosts to the crypt they once inhabited. To his surprise, the office was a stark contrast to the rest of the house. The computer was turned on and a large hospital bed sat in the middle of the room with various monitors around it. Edward appeared to be in the process of connecting cables to a few of them.

Carlisle quickly instructed Jacob to sit Nate on the bed and take off his shirt, before he reached for a mask with a long tube coming out of it that was connected to an oxygen tank.

"He needs to have that over his mouth and nose," he told Jacob. "The medication that will help him breath, I'm going to administer it in gas form."

As Nate was too weak to hold it over his face, Jacob held onto it, watching carefully as Dr. Cullen placed heart monitor nodes on his small chest. The computer behind them beeped to life. As Carlisle turned towards it to analyze the data, Edward approached Nate with an oxygen sensor for his finger. Seeing Edward approach, Jacob growled and put his arm across Nate's lap, shielding his son from Edward.

"Carlisle needs to check on his oxygen level," Edward explained, his voice placid.

Jacob glared at Edward, as Quil moved closer to to Edward.

"I said, only the doctor can touch him."

Sensing the hostility in the room, Carlisle approached Edward and took the sensor from him before moving towards Nate. He sighed as he took Nate's hand and placed the sensor on his index finger.

"When did this all start?"

"When your leech friend decided to kidnap my son," Jacob snarled, glancing occasionally at Edward and then towards the door where Alice stood.

Carlisle nodded, and turned to Nate, watching his oxygen levels before he spoke.

"Nathaneal?" The boy's eyes were heavy lided but the sound of his name being spoke caused him to become a bit more alert. It was then that his eyes met those of Carlisle beside him. "Can you talk to me?"

Nate shook his head, tears in his eyes. "I can't breathe," he whispered softly.

Carlisle didn't need to have Edward's ability to read minds to know that the boys was scared. Nate gripped tightly to Jacob's wrist as his father held the mask over his face.

"Don't worry. We'll get you feeling better very quickly. The medicine should start working shortly."

Seeing Jacob's expression of curiousity and confusion.

"What's going on with him?"

"From what I can tell, this looks and sounds exactly like a severe asthma attack."

The word caught Jacob visibly by surprise.

"Asthma? Nate doesn't have asthma."

"Unfortunately, he does. And if this is his first attack, the next time may be worse."

"Worse than this?" Leah exclaimed, gesturing to the small boy sitting on the bed. His shoulders were raised, forcing his lungs to get a much-needed breath of oxygen.

"I'm afraid so," Carlisle said. "Unless the trigger can be determined, the next time could be life threatening."

Quil crossed his arms and stepped closer to Jacob. He scoffed.

"It could be anything. With everything that Nate is allergic to, I'm surprised that it took him this long to have an asthma attack."

The revelation caught Carlisle by surprise.

"He has allergies?"

Jacob nodded, before naming off the various foods and outdoor triggers that would cause the histamine in his body to become confused. As he spoke, the sound of Nate's wheezing diminished as the inflamation around his windpipe began to decrease. Still, Carlisle insisted that he kept with the breathing treatment. Feeling the exhaustion of his body working so hard to get oxygen, Nate laid down and managed to hold the mask over his face while he closed his eyes.

"I don't get it," Jacob said softly as he ran his hand through Nate's hair as he relaxed. "He wasn't exposed to anything that aggrevated his allergies today. If anything, he was starting to outgrow a good number of them."

"Unless it was something new," Quil said from where he sat beside the bed.

"Yeah, but what?" Leah stated. "The kid wont be able to leave the house without someone shadowing him in fear that this will happen again."

Carlisle walked up to them, checking on the monitors around Nate.

"I can send you home with a canister of albuterol that hasn't expired and a puffer," he told Jacob. "It'll be enough to last a short time until you can get him checked by your allergist."

Leah scoffed. "I find it strange that you leeches liquidated most of your house and you had all of this crap left behind for an event like this?"

"Actually, it was Alice who suggested that we keep these behind," Carlisle admitted, before he looked at Nate.

As thankful as Jacob had been, he found it a bit strange and unnerving to know that the fortune teller somehow knew that they'd return and that his son would be needing the very equipment they had left behind.

Carlisle reached forward to take the mask from Nate's face, saying that he was satisfied with his oxygen levels. Nate's eyes remained closed as he slipped it over his head and moved away to turn off the machine and coil the tubes back on the stand when he suddenly heard gasping once again.

"What the hell!?" Leah exclaimed.

The wheezing begun before Nate coughed deeply, trying to get a breath that wouldn't come.

"You said that he was fine now!" Jacob snarled at Carlisle with a growl.

Sensing the hostility, Alice came to Carlisle's side, standing at the ready to attack if needed. Carlisle put his hand on her shoulder.

"He was," Carlisle told him, grabbing the mask once again and passed it to Jacob to put over Nate's head as Edward looked at the oxygen levels on the monitor. The doctor became more confused when Edward alerted him that Nate's levels had dropped back down in such a short time.

"This doesn't make any sense."

Carlisle was just as confused as Jacob and the Quilleute's were. At the same time he was afraid; afraid for what was going on with Nate and the fact that what was happening was defying everything he knew about asthma.

"The only reason for him to be having another attack is if he was still exposed to whatever trigger that set it off the first time."

It was then that Edward's eyes met his own. Carlisle knew that Edward was reading his mind, scanning through his thoughts about what was going on. His mind flashed to Irina; the fact that the first asthmatic attack occurred when she was with him.

"I think you could be right," Edward said aloud.

Jacob looked frantically from Edward to Carlisle and then back to Edward once again.

"Right? What is he right about?"

Edward paused, thinking about how to explain.

"To us, you...Quilleute's have a unique scent that undoubtedly belongs to you."

"In laments terms," Alice spoke up. "You guys stink like a wet dog."

Leah scoffed. "You guys don't smell like a bed of roses either."

Carlisle nodded in understanding.

"Regardless, even though he's no where near the age where he'd phasing, it's possible that Nate's DNA is most likely set up just like a shape shifter," he stated quickly. "Because he's so young and with his history with allergies, his body may have simply reacted to our kind as an antigen and is treating it as such."

"Hold up," Jacob stated, looking at Nate as he held the mask against his face, the boy's eyes closed once again. "You're saying that it's you guys that triggered his asthma?"

Carlisle nodded. "That's exactly what I'm saying."

* * *

 _ **A/N - So sorry for taking so long. I've been sick and my Mom started chemo yesterday. It's been a busy time.**_

 _ **I hope that you enjoyed this chapter. I found it difficult to write as well. It is setting up a lot of the story for the future when we jump ahead and will help to explain things later on. So, as minuscule the detail, it may come back into play later on.**_

 _ **Let me know what you think**_

 _ **Thank you for all the review, the new follower and favourites.**_


	6. Chapter 6

With Liam sleeping soundly in his arms, Billy stared into the dying embers of the fire in front of him, his mind far away while Old Quil sat beside him, carrying on a conversation with Charlie and Seth regarding the Seattle Mariners current lineup. He was grateful to both men for distracting Charlie from the situation that was going on around him that he was blissfully unaware of. As far as Charlie was concerned, Nate, Ryan and Lizzie had simply gotten themselves lost in the woods. It was the creature that the wolf pack were currently hunting in those same woods that caused Billy to suddenly to become silent.

When Sam had finally returned to the beach, carrying Lizzie in his arms with Brady at his side, Sue had quickly taken a look at the girl's professionally wrapped ankle to conclude that it was most likely bruised and sprained. When she asked about who had helped her, Brady looked to Sam who explained softly that they had found her that way. Emily's face had paled before Lizzie cried into her father's shoulder that she wanted to go home and that she was scared the monster was going to come back for them. Upon hearing Lizzie's concern, Jo looked to Brady as he lowered his head, admitting that the girl had accidentally seen him in wolf form as he explained what had happened.

Billy watched as Jo sighed in frustration and ran her fingers through her hair. For Lizzie's sake, Sam and Emily decided to head home with their kids. To ensure that they made it home safely, Jo quietly instructed Brady to shadow the car. But before he left, she grabbed his arm.

Billy couldn't tell what they were discussing, but he knew it must have had something to do with his two grandsons.

"What do you mean, he can't breathe?" Jo suddenly shrieked, gaining the attention of Rachel, as she spoke to Michelle. Sue had overheard as well, while she assisted Emily and Sam in packing up the kids.

Billy watched as Brady put his hand on Jo's arm in reassurance. The expression on Jo's face told him a lot. As strong as she was and as much as she able to hide it, when it came to the safety of her kids, Billy could read her like a book. He knew something was wrong. He wasn't the only one.

A few more words were exchanged before Billy watched as Brady and Jo glanced over and caught Sam's eye. He nodded once before Jo sent Brady off into the woods to keep an eye out.

Jo walked back towards Billy and to her relief, Sue seemed to notice that she was wanting to talk to her father-in-law. She called out for Charlie to help her bring the Uley's stuff to their waiting car. The man pushed himself up and took a quick swig of his beer bottle before following his wife towards the Uley. Just as Jo was about to sit down, Rachel had grabbed Jo's wrist and leaned into her. One hand was resting protectively over her protruding stomach and the other against her back.

"Jo, I know that you know something," she whispered loudly. "I saw it on Emily's face, and the fact that I could see it in Sam's and Brady's and now in your eyes is scaring the shit out of me. Where is Ryan?"

Jo looked over at her father-in-law knowing he had heard his daughter's plea while she held a death grip to Jo's wrist.

With a sigh, Jo helped Rachel to sit down closely to Billy and Old Quil before she explained what Sam and Brady had told her about the vampire that they had chased down. Her normally confident voice wavered as she explained how for some reason that they didn't know, Nate couldn't breathe.

"Rach?!"

Upon hearing her name being called, Rachel turned around and saw her husband jogging towards her with her son in his arms and Embry at his side. The moment that Ryan saw his Mom, Paul could feel the boy wiggle around until he set him down on the ground. Ryan closed the gap between them and wrapped his arms around Rachel's middlesection, being careful of her protruding stomach as she had often reminded him. Tears were in her eyes as she looked down at Ryan with his arms wrapped around him as Paul sandwiched Ryan between them as he hugged Rachel, placing a kiss on her lips.

Embry rushed past Paul and stopped by Jo, seeing the expression on her friend's face.

"Jo, Jake needs you to come right away."

"Is it Nate?"

Embry nodded, glancing quickly at Billy at her side as he held Liam in his arms, before he watched as Old Quil closed his eyes and began mumbling under his breath in Quilleute. He didn't need to know the language to know that the old man was praying.

Jo hesitated slightly, looking over to where Sarah played innocently in the sand with her friends and then towards Liam where he slept soundly in Billy's arms.

"Jo, just go," Paul suddenly said, sensing her hesitation as he held onto Rachel.

"I'll look after the kids," Billy assured her.

"We all will," Rachel added.

Finally, Jo nodded, not trusting her voice yet she cleared it before she spoke again, although it was weak.

"Uh...Liam's going to be hungry when he wakes up," she said, tears clouding her eyes. "I haven't pumped today. If someone could bring him up to Forks or give Jake's cell a call when he starts screaming and I..."

Embry shook his head.

"Jake's not in Forks?"

That bit of news caught everyone by surprise, except for Paul. He couldn't believe when Jacob had agreed to take his son to the Cullen's.

"Wha...? Where is he?"

"The Cullen's place."

Before Jo could react, he explained further.

"The Cullen's came back, Jo. They're the ones who saved Lizzie. They were chasing down the leech when they found out that she was planning on taking her revenge on us for killing some bloodsucker friend of hers years ago."

"They were supposed to never return," she growled.

Jo could feel her blood pressure rise with just the mention of the Cullen's. It was a name that hadn't been mentioned in years and it was a vile word that no one had dared to utter. Even now, she could feel the strong reactions of the pack around her whom had overheard Embry's words. She clenched her fist at her side and took deep breaths, as she closed her eyes, imagining Jacob's face as it seemed to quench the tremors that threatened to errupt from within.

The wolf inside was angry.

"I'll go with you," Seth suddenly said, appearing at her side.

"This isn't some frickin' reunion, Seth," Paul spat. He knew that the younger man had always had a soft spot for the coven.

"I'm not going to be welcoming them with open arms," Seth quickly retorted, offended by Paul's insinuation. "I don't like what their return could do to the tribe." He paused and glanced down at Ryan with his arms wrapped around Rachel.

"I just don't want Jo to drive over there like this."

"That's very nice of you, Seth," Billy stated softly, nodding towards the man.

Jo smiled at her cousin weakly before handing him the keys that Jacob had given to her prior to taking off to search for their son.

Without saying another word, her and Seth jogged towards the parking lot, passing Sue and Charlie as they returned to the beach. Jo said nothing but Seth assured his Mom and Charlie that he'd be back as soon as he could.

Once they had gotten into the car, Seth quickly turned it on and sped out of the parking lot.

His time working alongside Charlie in the cruiser had certainly paid off. Not only did he have his police training in office administration but he had rushed from La Push into Forks with Charlie at his side countless times and took the winding road with ease. He pushed hard on the gas pedal, taking them quickly down La Push road towards the Cullen's large home.

Jo held tight to the car door, grateful that her cousin offerred to drive. As quickly as she could get there, there was no guarantee that it would be done safely. At the moment, their door handle was slowly being reshapen to the contour of her grip.

The moment they reached the Cullen's house, they suddenly saw Leah, Quil follow as Jacob quickly ran out of the Cullen's front door with Nate in his arms. Seth slammed on the brakes, sending gravel flying before coming to a stop. Jo pushed open the door and ran to Jacob's side, hearing her son's audible gasps for herself.

"Paul told us what was going on," she quickly explained as she ran her hands over Nate's sweaty face. "What happened to him?"

"We have to get him out of here!" Jacob exclaimed as Seth climbed out of the car, looking from Jacob and then up to Edward and Alice by the front door in confusion. Suddenly, Carlisle came rushing out the front door pushing through Edward and Alice as he made his way towards Jacob.

Leah noticed and quickly rushed towards Dr. Cullen with Quil putting himself in front of Jacob, further blocking the vampires from getting closer to Nate. Edward and Alice reacted just as Leah got to Carlisle. They stepped in front of him, silently daring Leah to make a move against them. No one dared to touch the other, but rather Leah growled as Edward and Alice hissed back at her.

"Stay back if you know what's good for you," Leah growled.

"This is our house," Alice countered.

"On land that you gave back to us. I should kill you where you stand for coming back here."

"Try it," Edward hissed.

Carlisle put his had on Edward's shoulder.

"I have a puffer and medication that may help the boy to breathe easier," he explained, looking past Leah towards Jacob.

Jo looked from Jacob's torn face towards Dr. Cullen who appeared as sincere as she had always remembered him to be. But this time, she was no longer the patient.

"If he's going to breathe easier, I need to get him the hell away from all of you bloodsuckers," Jacob snapped as he gestured to Jo to open up the back door of the car.

He gently placed his shirtless son in the back seat while Jo rushed around to the otherside of the car to pull out Sarah's seat to throw it into the trunk.

"You're right!" Carlisle exclaimed. "But this will help alleviate the discomfort in his chest once you're far from here."

Leah glared at Carlisle as he spoke, daring him to come closer to them. It wasn't until she heard Jacob call out with a gruff, "Fine", that she held her hand out. Dr. Cullen placed the puffer into her hand.

Jo had managed to get Sarah's seat into the trunk and slammed it down before climbing into the backseat beside Nate. She pulled him close to her, wincing when she smelt the strong aroma of vampires on him. She didn't even hear the conversation outside or if Jacob had even said anything to the Cullen's before he quickly jumped into the drivers seat. Seth rushed around to the otherside and climbed in beside him in the front just as the car quickly turned and sped out the way they had come.

Jo looked out the window, catching a glimpse of Leah and Quil as they raced alongside the car within the woods on their way back to La Push.

Jacob glanced in the rearview mirror at Nate as Jo wrapped her arm around him, comforting him in ways that only a mother could. He could hear her talk to him as she ran her fingers through his hair as Nate choked while he cried.

Seth opened the window to allow the strong smell out. The scent inside their small car was so pungeant that he quickly turned back down La Push road towards his father's house before taking the long drive back to their own home. Both Jo and Seth noticed.

"Jake? What you doing? Where are we going?"

"My Dad's house. It's closer than ours," he replied. "We have to get that strong smell off of him right away."

To their surprise when they arrived at Billy's, he had just gotten home from the beach. Charlie and Sue were there and had brought along Liam and Sarah with them. Charlie was in the process of emptying the car with Sue when Jacob quickly came to a stop in the driveway, surprising Charlie.

"Whoa there, son," he said, cautiously. "Where's the fire?"

Jacob ignored him and moved to open the back door, while both Seth and Jo quickly climbed out of the car. Charlie visibly paled when he saw and then heard Nate gasping for a breath.

"Get the door!" Jacob shouted at Seth who bounded up the steps to Billy's house just as Sue walked out.

"Seth?" She said visibly surprised to see him, before she saw her son back up to allow Jacob to move through the door with Nate in his arms and Jo right at his heels. Sarah was right behind Sue and she put out her hand, ensuring that the young girl didn't get in the way.

"Look out!" He shouted, as the sound of Nate's wheezing and weak gasps filled the house. "Coming through."

"Daddy!" Sarah shouted happily, before she followed after Jacob.

Jo quickly grabbed Sarah, instantly holding her back before Sue came to their side. Not knowing if the scent of the vampires could have the same affect on Sarah as it did on Nate, she wasn't going to take any chances. Jo looked up pleadingly towards her aunt.

"Please, keep her away from Nate," Jo said insistently. Although Sue didn't know what was going on, she could see the urgency in Jo's eyes.

Sue quickly picked up Sarah and nodded, before Jo quickly followed after Jacob. She watched as Billy came out of his bedroom after laying Liam down to sleep on his bed.

"What's going on? You guys are going to wake the baby!"

One look at his grandson was enough. Nate's otherwise bronze skin was pale and a sheen of sweat covered his chest and face.

"I need to put him in the shower!" Jacob shouted, moving past his father towards the bathroom. "We have to wash their smell off of him."

Not understanding what was going on, but trusting Jacob's instincts, Billy called back at him. "What do you need?"

"Towels!"

"And warm blankets!" Jo added, with her hand on Jacob's back as they moved into the small bathroom.

"I'll get them, Billy," Sue said, taking hold of Sarah's hand ensuring that the girl stayed by her side. She turned to Seth who still stood at the door and instructed him to get a fire going in the fireplace.

When Charlie suddenly came through the front door, with his cell phone in hand as he began to dial, Billy quickly wheeled himself over towards his friend.

"Nate doesn't sound good. I'm calling for an ambulance!" Charlie exclaimed.

Billy quickly grabbed the phone from Charlie's hand, surprising the police chief.

"Billy...what the hell?"

"Nate will be fine," Billy calmly told Charlie.

The police chief nervously ran his hand through his hair and looked down the hallway to where the sound of the shower turning on could be heard. It wasn't all that they could hear. Nate's audible wheezing and gasping followed by his breathy cries echoed down the hallway. Although the fearful sounds pulled at his heartstrings, Billy trusted his son, and the last thing that they would need for Nate is any unnecessary blood tests. They've made it this far in his life without them. There was no doubt that it could raise suspicion at the hospital if anything unusual showed up and Billy would protect his family until his last breath.

Charlie scoffed. "This isn't the time to test your faith in your Quilleute spirits. We're playing with Nate's life here. The kid can't breathe! He needs to get to a god damn hospital!"

The sudden sound of footsteps racing up his front porch caught the attention of both men and paused Charlie's rant. Billy turned just as Leah pushed open the front door. Quickly she walked in and handed the small vile to Billy.

"Here!" She said. "Get this to Jake. It's for Nate."

Billy looked down at the unlabelled puffer and the canister of albuterol.

"Is this from...?"

Leah nodded. She knew what Billy was asking, yet was aware that he wasn't about to make mention of the Cullen's while Charlie was present.

"Jake can explain. If he's with Nate, you're gonna want to make sure that you wash it off good before you give it to him. It stinks to high heaven and it'll make him worse," Leah quickly explained as her Mom appeared in the hallway, with a handful of towels and saw her daughter at the door. "And let Jake know that I'm getting everyone together, like he asked."

Billy nodded silently, looking down at the medication in his hand before Leah quickly closed the door and disappeared into the night.

Charlie stood, looking between Billy and the door that had just closed. Quickly, Billy wheeled himself towards the sink and began to wash off the canister and the puffer.

"What the hell is going on? Nate needs a doctor."

Seeing Charlie's obvious confusion to the situation, Sue walked over with Sarah beside her carrying a stack of towels in her arms. She directed the young girl to bring give them to Seth to take to the bathroom, knowing how Jo didn't want Sarah to go near her brother. Meanwhile, Sue walked over to Charlie and placed her hand on his arm.

"It's just asthma, Charlie," Sue explained gently. "He'll be fine."

"As far as I know, that kid has never had asthma in his life," Charlie said, shaking his head.

"He already has allergies. Something must have triggered it," Billy said, turning from the sink as he shook the excess water from the items in his hand. Although he had his suspicions about what it could have been, he didn't dare think of it. Billy wheeled himself down the hallway and stopped in the entrance to the bathroom.

It took him a moment to fully comprehend what he was seeing. It was obvious that Jacob and Jo were working off of instinct. Jacob stood topless in the shower, and kept a naked Nate beneath the spray, ensuring that every inch of him had been hosed down and then soaped down. Jo reached into the shower and ran her hands through Nate's curls with shampoo, working quickly to effectively remove any lingering scent that they could sense on him. Nate still breathed deeply, his small rib cage becoming more pronounced with each breath that he took. Seth stood to the side, holding a towel against himself to keep it warm until they were ready.

"Jo?"

The woman turned to see Billy at the door and then sighed in relief when she saw the canister and puffer in his weathered hands.

"Leah dropped these off."

"Oh thank god," Jacob breathed as Jo quickly put it together and passed it to her husband's waiting wet hand.

"How is he?" Billy asked softly, as Jacob verbally instructed Nate to put his mouth on the inhaler before he compressed the canister. Not knowing how many times to do it, Jacob stopped at two before passing it back to Jo.

"Better than before," Jo replied. "He doesn't smell like them anymore."

Them.

Up until now, Billy had simply guessed that it was Nate's exposure to the vampires that had caused him to have asthma-like symptoms. He'd never have believed that it would be possible if he hadn't seen how sick Nate had been when Jacob carried his lethargic son into the house.

"That's good," Billy said, as Jacob reached around Nate and turned off the water. Slowly and weakly, Nate stepped out of the shower before Seth passed a large towel to Jo and quickly wrapped it around her son's small frame.

"There's a nice fire going in the living room," Seth told them with a smile.

Jo nodded her thanks before sweeping up her little boy and followed Billy down the hall and back to the living room. Charlie was busy stoking the fire with kindling that Sarah was happily passing him when Jo walked in. Sue had a large blanket that she held out with a beaming smile, letting her great-nephew know that she had put it in the dryer for a few minutes to warm it up.

Jo laid Nate down on the couch before Sue covered the boy up with the towel.

Although his breathing was still rough, it was no where near where it was before when they initially walked into the house.

Billy wheeled himself closer to the couch and put his hand on Nate's wet mop of curls on his head.

"Oh my boy," he said with a smile, causing Nate to weakly open his eyes at his grandfather. Billy smiled upon making eye contact with him. "You gave your grandpa quite a scare. You scared all of us."

Nate was about to speak but instead coughed deeply for a moment, gasping at the severity of it. This time, the coughing subsided and he slowly relaxed as he caught his breath.

"It's going to take some time for your lungs to get better," Sue explained as she sat on the side of the couch by his feet.

Sarah climbed up on the couch, and put her feet under the far edge of the blanket. On any other day, Nate would complain that his sister was sharing a blanket with him, but he simply didn't have the energy to argue. His eyes felt heavy.

"How long?" Nate whispered.

"You'll be feeling a lot better tomorrow. You just need a good night sleep now," she assured him with a smile.

Jo leaned down and brushed Nate's hair off his forehead before she kissed him.

"Get some sleep," she told him. "We'll be here when you wake up."

Nate nodded and closed his eyes as Jo stood up.

"Can I sleep here at grandpa's too?"

Sarah's small voice caught Jo's attention and she smiled, coming to her daughter's side.

"Of course you can, pumpkin," she said softly, kissing her cheek. "Just make sure you don't wake your brother. He's not feeling well."

As she spoke, she could hear the tell-tale sign of Liam waking and beginning to fuss in Billy's bedroom. Quickly saying her thanks to Sue and Charlie for looking after the kids, she made her way to the bedroom while Billy saw them to the front door.

"How you remained calm while watching your grandson go through that is beyond me, old man," Charlie said with a smirk.

Billy chuckled. "Well, it helps that I've had lots of practice with Jake when he was growing up. I don't start panicking until I see blood."

Charlie chuckled alongside him. "You would've made one hell of a cop."

"Who says I'm not? I've done a pretty good job keeping the boys on the rez in line."

While Billy said goodnight to Charlie and Sue, Jacob came down the hallway drying his hair with a towel. In his hands he carried both his own and Nate's clothing. Jo followed him, with Liam in her arms wide awake and obviously impatient about eating. Seeing her mother come into the room with her baby brother, Sarah sat up and moved down, allowing space for Jo to sit down. Sarah leaned her head against Jo's arm as Jo settled Liam to nurse. Jo turned her head towards Sarah and kissed her forehead before whispering to her to get some sleep. In her arms, Liam's eyes began to close as he nursed contently while Jacob walked up to Seth by the fireplace.

"I'm tempted to burn these," Jacob said softly, as Billy moved towards him. "I can still smell leech on them."

Seth turned up his nose, agreeing with his alpha before glancing over to where Nate was sleeping on the couch. His breathing was normal for the first time since they came back to the reservation. All they could hear was Sarah's heavy breathing as she had fallen asleep against Jo's side and Liam's loud suckling.

"I would."

Billy nodded. "Go ahead. It's not worth Nate's health."

Bending over, Jacob tossed the clothes into the fire while Seth pushed them further into the flames with the poker. When he turned around to see his family sitting together on the couch, Jacob smiled. He walked over to Nate and brushed his hot fingers against his forehead before kneeling down in front of the couch to get a better look at his son's face.

"He's fine, Jacob," Billy reminded his own son. Jacob nodded.

"I can't believe how close we were to losing him today," he said softly. "And, not just to the vampire who attacked him and Ryan."

Billy cleared his throat, feeling it tighten with emotion at Jacob's words. He couldn't imagine having to bury his grandson's.

"The vampire that came after them, is it gone?"

"Brady got her," Jo replied, when she realized that Jacob wasn't aware of what had happened.

Jacob huffed.

"I've been so distracted by what was going on with Nate that I completely turned aside my alpha duties."

"Jake, you're a father," Billy told him. "That comes before any pack duties, and everyone knows and respects that."

He nodded. "I'm having Leah gather everyone for a meeting at midnight behind our house."

Jacob paused and looked to Jo. "You don't need to attend. It's simply to go over what had happened. We haven't had a vampire on our land, let alone attack in years. We need to know what went wrong."

"Nothing went wrong, Jake. Everyone performed like they should have. We just weren't ready."

"That's the problem. We should have been ready." He paused and looked at Nate. "What if this was the Volturi that had come for him?"

Jo opened her mouth to speak when a sudden loud knocking at the door echoed into the house. She instinctively put her hand over Liam's ear when his eyes opened slightly to the unwelcomed sound as he nursed before she soothingly ran her hand over his head.

Billy was on his way towards the door when Jacob insisted on getting it. He was surprised when Quil stood in front of him, his face full of anger.

"Jake, we have a problem."

"What is it?"

"The Cullen's are out by the old east boundary," he said between his teeth. "They're wanting to talk to you. The said it's important."

Jacob huffed in annoyance. "Just the three of them?"

Quil nodded. "Leah's out there now, making sure they don't come any closer. But their damn little pixie is taunting us saying that there are no boundaries anymore. Dr. Fang is trying to keep the peace but between the pixie and Twitward, there may be a fight if you don't get there quickly."

"Damn it," Jacob swore under his breath, turning to look into the house, before looking back at Quil. "Send out the call to the others. I'll meet you out there."

Quil nodded before jumping off the porch and heading back into the woods.

"Duty calls, huh?" Jo said, having overheard the conversation at the door. "I'm just about finished feeding Liam. I can go with you."

Jacob shook his head. He looked down at Liam and then Sarah before finally lingering his eyes on Nate.

"Stay here with the kids," he told her, before clenching his fists. "My wolf is on edge with having to leave the kids. I know he'd feel better knowing that you're here with them. I'd feel better knowing you're here to protect them."

Jo nodded, although slightly reluctantly. She would be lying if she said that she didn't feel the same way. Even though she hadn't phased in years, her inner wolf felt compelled to stay near the children. Just hearing their soft breathing and smelling their scents were enough to calm her.

Jacob leaned down and kissed Jo's lips before brushing his forehead against hers.

He looked up at Billy as he sat near the fire, watching the embers snap with the fireplace.

"Thanks Dad for letting us stay the night," he said.

"My pleasure son."

With one final glance, Jacob walked out the door and ran into the woods, feeling the heat sore down his back and into his extremities before landing on all fours.

* * *

 ** _A/N - Thank you for all those reviews! They mean so much to me! Welcome to all the new readers. I hope you enjoy the journey. One more chapter and then we're jumping ahead in time. ;)_**


	7. Chapter 7

Years ago, when Ephraim Black, Levi Uley and Quil Ateara II. had signed the treaty, that unbeknownst to them would seal the fates of their great grandchildren decades later, it had taken place at the eastern boundary; a place featuring a large meadow with no visual markers except for a large oak tree with wide reaching branches near the centre of the overgrown space. Ironically, it was the same location where the Cullen's presently waited for Jacob Black to speak to them. Except this time, there was no longer an active treaty between the Quileute's and the Cullen's. That fact alone obviously created aggitation within Leah's wolf as she prowled back and forth along the non-existent boundary line, waiting anxiously to see if the Cullen's were going to make a move towards the reservation. She didn't trust them and she had good reason to. They had assured them that they would never return, yet here they were. Their claim that they had chased after their friend who intended to seek her revenge on the pack did little to alleviate Leah's suspicion.

Jacob could feel her anxiety as he raced through the trees towards her location. Quil ran alongside him, his paws kicking up leaves and dirt in their wake. One by one, his consciousness felt the pack mind widen with each member who phased in. Recent memories of Jacob carrying his son, as Nate gasped for each breath flooded throughout the minds of his brothers. Instantly, they all knew the added danger that the Cullen's were to their Alpha's son.

The Alpha within growled in anger before Jacob gave out the orders. He wanted a strong front when meeting with the Cullen's but also wanted to keep a protective perimeter around the reservation. Leah wasn't the only one who didn't trust the Cullen's and he could feel it within his pack. Although the coven had helped them in the past, old habits died hard. The vampire coven were their natural enemy, yet he had to remind his wolf that the Cullen's had left in order to protect Nate from the Volturi's interest and Dr. Cullen had helped his son less than an hour prior. As much as they had helped them, their very presence could alter lives within the tribe and it wasn't something Jacob was about to take lightly.

Jacob came to a stop a hundred yards from the meadow. In the distance, he could see Leah's stance as she glared at the Cullen's in front of her. That sweet, sickly scent drifted up from the meadow to where he stood. Their ghostly skin glowed white in the moonlight that shone in the unusually clear night. They waited for the pack with an air of arrogance and entitlement. It sickened Jacob all the more.

He huffed in annoyance as a growl rolled through his chest as he forced himself to put aside the desire to rip apart his natural enemies who stood on the non-existent border. as he slowly phased back and stood on two feet. As he pulled up his cut offs, Paul walked up beside him in wolf form while the rest of the pack moved forward to flank the pair.

He glanced back at Embry and Jared behind him, who stood up from the haunches as they found the Cullen's unearthly scent harder to ignore in their animal forms.

"Easy," he growled, from the side of his mouth even as his own muscles flexed beneath his skin.

He sighed deeply, looking at the Cullen's, who not surprisingly had noticed the rest of the packs arrival. "Let's get this over with."

As he walked, he felt Embry move to his left as Paul stayed to his right with Jared following close behind.

Dr. Cullen didn't say a word but merely nodded in Jacob's direction as a smile ghosted his features. Jacob watched as the vampires eyed the pack who spread out along the treeline just inside the meadow, their eyes ablaze. Jacob continued to walk ahead and stopped as he came up beside Leah.

"Thank you for coming on such short notice," Carlisle said amicably with a small smile. "I'm certain that you're eager to get back to your family considering what your son has been through this evening."

Jacob said nothing but crossed his arms over his chest, feeling his wolf's impatience. Behind him, he could hear the wolves huff and could only imagine the curses that were being thrown towards the Cullen's. It was obvious to him that Edward had tuned into the pack mind at that moment as he sighed and even rolled his eyes.

Although Carlisle didn't have the gift that Edward had, he could tell by the body language of the pack in front of them, that they weren't in a good mood.

"How is Nathaneal doing?"

Jacob scoffed in indignation. Simply hearing his son's name being spoken by Dr. Cullen caused a muscle to flex beneath his skin. It sounded vile to the wolf within.

"We're not here to discuss my son," he snapped. "You asked to speak to me directly, so talk."

Carlisle pursed his lips and looked to Alice before turning back to Jacob. Unfortunately, it was about his son.

"I wanted to assure you that we have been monitoring Aro's thoughts and decisions, just like I vowed many years ago. Speaking for my family, the future of the Quileute people," Carlisle said, glancing around towards the other wolves standing behind Jacob, "is the upmost importance to us."

"That being said, there is something that should be brought to your attention."

Dr. Cullen looked to Alice who sighed before Jacob turned his steely gaze at her.

"I had a vision that you should be aware of," she stated.

* * *

Jo paced slowly by the window, her arms at her side with her fists clenched tightly. Her movements were fluid as her eyes pierced out into the darkness. Behind her, her two eldest children slept soundly on the couch, the only sound being their soft breathing. Although Liam slept in Billy's bed, Jo could easily hear Liam's heart beating as he slept. Billy watched her as he sat in his chair, quietly reading his newspaper with the help of a small lamp beside him. He couldn't help but smile as he watched her movements; so graceful like the spirit animal that he knew resided within her. At first, he ignored her and went back to reading, but as time went on, the continual pacing was starting to worry him.

"Jo, are you all right?"

"I'm fine," she replied stoically as her eyes never left the window.

Billy folded his paper and rolled slowly towards her.

"Is someone out there?"

Jo shook her head slightly. "Brady passed by about ten minutes ago but I haven't seen anyone since. It's very quiet."

She paused, letting out a rough sigh. "And it's driving me crazy."

Billy looked out the same window that Jo stared out of.

"I should be out there," she said softly, before clenching her teeth tightly together. "I don't know what's going on or where everyone is. All I know is that the pack are meeting with the Cullen's. Jake's out there and I can't help but feel like I should be there with him."

"That's understandable," Billy told her with a smirk. "Jake may be the Alpha but you and he are one and are each others imprints."

Jo let out a breath between her lips. "It's more than that. It's like an uncomfortable...pulling sensation. Everyone is phased right now and it's as though the wolves are calling to me."

She took another deep breath, a growl rumbled from her chest.

"It's hard to ignore it."

"Jo...perhaps you should go outside," Billy gently suggested as she felt his calloused hand wrap around her clenched fist.

Confused, she turned towards him before looking down at her fist as they trembled within his hand. Jo's eyes widened before she quickly slipped her fist from his grasp and took a step back, suddenly fearful of what was going on.

Jo turned away from Billy and the window, towards where her children slept and closed her eyes, took deep breaths and focused on their heartbeats; anything that would calm her. Her calming grace was always Jacob; he was the one who was always able to bring her back from the edge. She'd listen to his voice and to his calming heartbeat. But without his presence, she turned to the peaceful children who could evoke calm within her.

It had been years since Jo had nearly lost control and although hearing the steady heartbeats allowed her to relax, she was still angry with herself for getting so close to that edge. It didn't help that she was within the same room as not only Billy but also Nate and Sarah.

Jo opened her eyes, finding that the muscles beneath her arms continued to protest. She let out a growl of frustration before turning towards Billy.

"Don't worry," he assured her. "I'll watch over the children."

Jo went reluctantly before quickly moving towards the door. She paused as she focused on taking a gentle grip of the doorknob as to not pull the door right off the hinge.

"I'll stay within visual range of the house," she told him, feeling that protective instinct rise within her.

Billy nodded before she pulled open the door and raced towards the treeline.

Even as she ran, Jo could feel the wolf within her growl to have control. The moment she hit the trees, Jo pulled her shirt over her head, dropping it to the ground before pausing to shrug off her pants.

With a deep breath, she could feel that uncontrollable burn race down her spine. It was nearly as painful as it was the first time she had phased, yet it still felt like breathing. Within seconds, she stretched out her legs before the chorus of voices filled her mind.

' _Damn it! Jo's here!?'_

' _What the hell!? Jake said she was staying back to watch the kids!'_

 _'This is about Nate! She can't not know about it!'_

Flashes from the pack's memories of when the Volturi had come years ago came at her like a wave.

 _'Alpha's pissed, we can't have Jo freak out too.'_

Images of Nate as a baby and then playing soccer on the beach with Paul, Ryan and Jacob washed over her.

' _Hell, I'm pissed! Those leeches need to die!_ _'_

' _I'm all for it! While we're at it, let's get rid of these Cullen's once and for all!'_

 _'The Cullen's are helping us! They didn't have to warn us!'_

Jo could hear the conversations coming at her a mile a minute to the point where she audibly whimpered.

Her mind pushed through the conundrum until she saw Jacob standing in front of the Cullen's. The muscles in his back flexed violently as she heard him growl.

"What do you mean the Volturi have been watching us?"

Carlisle sighed.

"It wasn't until after you left our house with your son that Alice had her vision of Aro approaching Irina weeks ago," he said.

"When the Volturi came seven years ago and destroyed the werewolves, I wasn't aware that Aro discovered through my thoughts that Irina refused to assist us due to her animosity towards the Quileute's. He must have approached her when she had left us for some time and he found out that the pack had killed someone she had cared about," Edward explained.

"He used Irina as a spy. We don't know if she ever reported back to him but there was a possibility that she had," Carlisle told Jacob.

"But I thought..." Jacob seethed, taking a half-step towards Alice. "I thought you were going to be watching that bastard's thoughts."

Behind him, the rest of the pack growled, as Alice took a step forward to challenge him. She hissed before Carlisle quickly moved towards her and put his arm in front of her, halting her in her place.

"I should have known not to trust you," Jacob added, glaring at Alice.

"Aro never made any conscious decision towards your people," Alice spat. "I only saw him approaching Irina in that vision an hour ago. It wasn't until we put it together based on Edward's assumption and with Irina going after your son..."

"You think she searched him out?"

"I'm almost certain that she did," Edward answered. "She most likely hunted him and waited for a time when he was alone and away from the safety of the pack."

"And if Aro requested that she bring him to the Volturi, knowing what we know now, your son wouldn't have survived the trip," Carlisle said softly.

As that mere thought settled over the meadow, Jacob's inner wolf bristled with anger. At the same time, he forced himself to be gracious for the information that the Cullen's had willingly brought to him. It took everything in his power to thank them for their assistance.

Paul couldn't help but snicker as Jacob warned them about what would ultimately happen to them if they ever were to return. A part of him wished that the Cullen's would return just so that they could follow through with that threat.

Just as the Cullen's were about to turn to leave, Edward paused and looked back at Jacob.

"Oh, and Jacob?"

Jacob's eyes glared as Edward simply smirked.

"Bella asked me to say Hi to you and she also wanted to know how Charlie was doing."

Jacob paused and scoffed as an incredulous smirk ghosted his lips.

"Tell her that Charlie is doing great," he stated. Inwardly, Jacob knew how much the man missed his daughter, yet he wasn't going to give either Edward or Bella the knowledge of that. At the same time, it was the truth. Charlie loved Sue and the family that he had married into. Jacob's own children had come to refer to Charlie as their Uncle Charlie. But he knew how much Bella's disappearance had weighed on the man.

If Edward had chosen to read Jacob's thoughts, he didn't make it obvious to him.

Edward simply nodded his head before disappearing with the rest of the Cullen's.

Within moments, Jacob had tugged off his shorts and lept into the treeline to join the rest of his pack. The anger was almost palpable as the voices meshed into one. The wolves paced back and forth, snarling as they fed off each others frustration and anger. It was nearly overwhelming as he clung to a single voice that felt just like home and seemed to beat out above the drone of the consciousness of the other wolves.

' _Jo_?'

He could see through her eyes as she stood across the road from his father's red house, guarding it carefully as it held some people who they both held most dear.

 _'Jacob, I couldn't sit still. I had to make sure everything was okay.'_ She paused. ' _The pack is frantic_.'

' _I can feel it and hear it.'_

' _I don't blame them_ ,' Jo thought, watching as Billy crossed the window. ' _Our lives are being tossed back into a living hell once again.'_

Jacob sighed, feeling the frustration. ' _I'll meet you back at Billy's._ '

Within seconds she felt his consciousness leave as he phased back. Before he even pulled on his shorts, he called out for everyone to phase back. Almost instantaneous, the entire pack reverted to standing on two legs. Leah darted behind a tree before she bent over to pick up her clothes from her ankle.

"That was too chaotic," Jacob stated. "We haven't all been phased in together in years. We're out of practice."

He wasn't the only one feeling that way. Paul pinched the bridge of his nose to ward off the headache, as Embry simply shook his head as though he tried to shake the fog from his mind.

"Well maybe we should be getting back into the habit!" Jared exclaimed. "If the damned Cullen's are right about the Volturi, we should have a better active pack than we have going now running patrols around here cause it's obvious that that leech slipped through somewhere along the border."

Quil took visible offence to Jared's statement and pushed off the tree he was leaning against.

"If you think you can do better, then by all means, take up my patrol rotation," Quil snapped. "Oh, but I'm sure that would mean that you'd miss out on a bit of your...ahem," he said quickly clearing his throat before speaking with a higher feminine voice, "sexy time with your Kimmy."

Quil chuckled as he finished speaking, while Jared stalked towards him, growling in the back of his throat.

"Cool it, bro!" Paul exclaimed taking a step forward and putting his arm on Jared's shoulder. Jared simply shrugged it off as he approached Quil.

"It's obvious that Quil here must be having his own share of sexual frustration," Jared retorted, glaring at him. "Too much time alone in the woods and an underaged imprint...man, that must get...hard."

A thunderous growl errupted up from Quil's chest.

"That's low man!" Brady exclaimed, coming to Quil's defence as he shared in the patrol rotation with him.

Embry elbowed Seth and whispered. "That's what she said."

"Or in Quilly's case, 'he said'"," Jared added, upon hearing the whisper that ultimately the entire pack overheard.

"Oh my god, you guys are so juvenile!" Leah exclaimed. "It doesn't matter how the hell that bitch got through the lines without the pack knowing. We have to know what went wrong."

"Nothing went wrong!" Collin stated. "We've been patrolling two at a time since Quil scented her last week on our land."

Silence dropped over the group for a few seconds before Paul spoke.

"What the hell?! You knew that this bitch was on our land for a week!?"

He quickly turned to Jacob. "Did you know about this?"

"Of course I did! The elders and the active pack made a decision to keep the knowledge of the vampire on our land a secret," Jacob told them. "It wasn't a serious matter at the time and I had full confidence, as I still do in Quil, Collin and Brady in securing our borders."

"Wasn't a serious matter? Are you frickin' kidding me!?" Sam exclaimed, throwing his hands up in the air from where he stood by Embry. He had listened to the conversation and was silently brewing but Jacob's last statement blew his top.

"That bitch hurt Lizzie, and nearly killed Nate and Ryan."

"You don't have to remind me of that fact," Jacob spoke bitterly through his teeth, hearing the accusation in Sam's words.

"Then what, mighty Alpha was your reasoning in keeping a vampire on our land a secret?" Sam snapped.

Jacob took a hasty step towards the man and stood nearly toe to toe with Sam.

"You're crossing the line," Jacob growled, his Alpha tenure speaking for the first time in years. "My job is to ensure the safety of the tribe and the pack, both those actively phasing and those who have chosen to live their lives with their loved ones away from this nightmare. You are not to question my decisions. Is that clear?"

Sam audibly swallowed, the inner wolf recognizing his Alpha.

"Yes," he said softly.

"Is anyone else going to question them?"

When no one dared to speak, Jacob nodded.

"This is what we're going to do," he said, looking to Quil. "Double rotations in groups of two will continue."

He paused and looked at the rest of the group. "As for the rest of us, we're going to fill in the gaps. Once every eight days, you'll join Quil, Collin and Brady to help with patrol."

"How long are we going to do this?" Seth asked, meekly, afraid of angering the Alpha once again.

"This is for the future of our children," Jacob replied. "I'll do it for the rest of my life if I have to."

Although no one said a word, it was obvious that the atmosphere following the impromptu meeting was depressing and frustrating. For most of them, they had long ago believed that their phasing days were over and that they could live their lives as normal as they possibly could.

Jacob dismissed them, and while most, if not all disappeared into the woods on four legs, Jacob chose to walk back home. It gave him time to think as well as contemplate the events of the evening.

As he approached Billy's house, he paused and his eyes darted around the woods as a smile came to his face.

"You can't sneak up on me, even when you're a on four legs," he spoke aloud.

From behind him, he felt something soft nudge him against his back. With a smile, he turned to see a wolf whom he hadn't seen in years. He could feel his own inner wolf respond to the sight of the gray and brown female wolf whom he'd recognize anywhere. He watched as Jo sat down on her haunches and huffed. A rumbled growl rolled in her chest.

"You heard," he concluded. Knowing that most of the pack had phased to return home while she was still in wolf form, Jo undoubtedly found out about his awareness of the vampire on their land. "And I know you're pissed."

Jo growled again and stood up, prowling towards him. Jacob crossed his arms and sighed.

"Jo, it would be easier to talk to you if you phased back onto two legs."

She snarled at him, no where near inclined to do as he desired. When she snapped her jaws towards his head, he dropped his arms.

"Yeah, I get that you're angry with me," Jacob stated. "But one of the reasons I kept it quiet was for you."

Jo visibly rolled her eyes.

"Seriously..." Jacob paused and sighed. "Can you please phase back?"

When she sat down on her haunches, Jacob threw his arms up. "Fine, fine! You win."

When he bent over and proceeded to pull down his shorts, Jo let out a low growl, causing Jacob to glance up at her and smirk. He felt that heat rise up his spine before his legs and arms elongated and he landed on all fours. Jacob shook out his fur just as Jo's mind met his.

' _Just because you're Alpha doesn't mean that you should keep things from me,_ ' she began, as she stalked towards him. ' _We're a team Jake! You should have told me that there was a vampire on our land.'_

' _And what would that have done? You would have been worried sick!_ '

He paused and sauntered towards her, his head down.

' _Our family is important to me,' he told her. 'I had confidence that if there was ever a threat against any of the kids, that you'd be able to handle it. Hell, from what I've seen through Seth's mind, you did great on the beach. I can feel the Alpha's pride._

 _'But if I could keep you from having to worry about something that may never affect us, I would. It's my job to worry, not yours.'_

Jo huffed at his words, as she bumped her forehead against Jacob's.

 _'I appreciate that, but Jake, please, if there is anything that would affect our family, I'd like to know. I need to know. I was a nervous wreck waiting for you here. And then on top of it all, to hear the Cullen's say that that vampire was after Nate and most likely worked for the Volturi...the only reason I didn't race down to that meadow was because of the three children inside that house.'_

Jacob sighed.

' _Jo, nothing and no one will ever get our children_ ,' he assured her. ' _Both myself and the entire pack will ensure that.'_

When there was no reply, Jacob thought again.

' _Will you phase back for me now?'_

Without saying a word Jo phased alongside Jacob. Slowly she stood up as he looked at her. Jacob put out his hand towards her to which she took as he pulled her closer to him.

"We're a team," she told him.

Jacob smirked, putting her hand to his lips.

"A team."

"And if any of those sons of bitches come near anywhere near our land," she began, taking a deep breath, "I'll rip their heads off."

Jacob nodded. "And I'll be right beside you. The Volturi are never stepping onto Quileute land and leaving in one piece. I guarantee they'll burn before they step one foot off the reservation."

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Sorry for the super delay in posting this...I was nearly done and then...poof...deleted! I was so frustrated that I couldn't even start for a few days. It simply wasn't the same as the first draft. Hopefully, this is just as good as I had hoped for._**

 ** _Thank you for the followers and new favourites. I was surprised that I wasn't getting the reviews that I was expecting based on the number of readers. If you're liking this, please let me know. If you have suggestions, let me know too. We're jumping ahead 9-10 years in the next chapter so the options are there for some ideas if you have them._**


	8. Chapter 8

10 Years Later - mid-June

To any student, it had to have been some sort of punishment to run around the edge of the school property on the hottest day of the year, nevermind it being the last day of school. But Leah Clearwater couldn't handle being cooped up indoors and being surrounded by teenage emotions and hormones any longer. So, she sent her entire class of sophomore and junior boys on a run.

It should have came as no surprise to the students. Leah's reputation as the small tribal school's physical education teacher was that she was tough, not just in marking but in her demands. But at the end of the day, she brought out the best of her students and she loved her job.

They were all aware of her hasty marriage and subsequent divorce to her husband nine years prior. With a population of just a little more than 200, it didn't take long for her story to travel through the reservation grape-vine. Of course, everyone had their own assumption as to what could have happened between the couple and the rumours began. It was her students' conclusion that her ex-husband must have left her in order for her to be consistently in a bad mood. But for those who really knew Leah, they simply recognized it as her defensive strategy. Throwing herself into her work and investing her time into her students and family became her coping mechanism. Yet no one would ever call her out on that in fear of getting their own heads chewed off.

With her sunglasses over her eyes, she smiled as she heard her students groan and complain as they ran. She didn't know what there was to complain about. The tribal school property wasn't all that large and it was beautiful day. Besides, summer vacation was in less than a twenty minutes. Nothing could ruin her day.

Leah's mind went over the various plans she had for her summer; taking Jacob and Jo's youngest son, Liam and Seth's daughter, Hannah to the zoo in Seattle, dragging Sarah Black from her father's garage and force girl time on her no matter how much the 13 year old complained, shopping in Port Angeles with her Mom and Jo and simply relaxing on the porch with a good book. None of her plans involved guys. Family was important to her and for the first time in a long time, she was content.

She hadn't phased in over eight years and with it, tossed out any chances of imprinting. At first, Leah was relieved that that portion of her life was left to her own decision. When she had met Mark around the same time as when Liam had been born, she thought that the man could do no wrong; he was perfect. So much so, that she married him in a quick civil ceremony in Port Angeles, much to Sue and Seth's disappointment. Ignoring their opinions, Leah had moved out of La Push with Mark and only after a month, realized that he had been cheating on her. She could feel that insatiable anger rise up her spine that she hadn't felt in years. Although her return to La Push and divorce to her husband had been a surprise, Sue, the pack and the elders, welcomed her back. It wasn't long after that that she applied for a vacant position at the school and had been working there ever since.

Even though Leah's position at the school was just a job, she knew it was so much more. She could still sense that inner wolf within her feel protective towards the children of the pack. Her eyes would instinctively search them out, ensuring that they are safe and well. Although it was only Quil who was actively phasing, which he had done in order to keep himself young to grow old alongside Claire, the pack still existed in human form and included the next generation despite the kids being completely oblivious to the legends being real. A large part of Leah wished that she had made better decisions and would be able to watch her own child interact with the kids who were now teenagers. But for now, she was happy simply being Auntie Lee, not only to Seth's 4 year old daughter, but also to Jacob and Jo's kids.

Near the beach where the school was situated, she could see as Nate walked along the property while his classmates would run past. Squinting her eyes, she noticed him watching a group of students sitting beneath a tree surrounded by their book bags. Leah recognized them as a few of the graduating seniors and a couple junior girls, including Liz Uley.

She knew that although the Uley and Black families were friends, it was rare that Liz and Nate were seen together at school. Liz had her friends and Nate has his own. They simply grew apart as they got older.

Leah grew concerned when she saw Nate stop walking and bent over at the waist. There wasn't much that scared Leah, but remembering the boy at seven years old gasping for a breath had scared the shit out of her. At the same time, she knew that he hadn't had an asthma attack since then. Jacob and Jo, as well as Billy Black and her own Mom had been deligent to make sure that he kept up with his medication. Their fear was that if a vampire came onto their land, that the next reaction could be worse than the first.

Leah turned her nose up into the air and took a deep breath, catching any astringent burning scent that may have come their way. She relaxed slightly when she didn't notice anything unusual. So, she cupped her hands around her mouth and shouted towards Nate.

"Come on, Black! Your grandpa can move faster than that in his wheel chair!"

A smile came to her face as she watched Ryan Lahote come running up beside his cousin and elbow him in the side, and quickly teased saying he was too slow causing Nate to chase after him.

Suddenly feeling competitive, the pair raced side by side along the perimeter, passing a few other students before coming to slow down beside Talon Uley who had locked himself at a good pace. With Ryan on one side and Nate on the other, the three boys suddenly raced ahead, keeping up with each other until they came around to where Leah was standing.

"Good hustle, boys!" She exclaimed before calling Nate over towards her.

Breaking off from his cousin and friend, Nate turned and jogged towards Leah and came to a stop in front of her, his chest heaving from exertion.

"How you doing out there today?"

Nate nodded, and stretched his arms over his head. He smiled brightly, so much so that Leah couldn't help but see Jacob in his smile.

"Great."

"Really? Cause it looked like you were struggling out there."

Nate shook his head and casually glanced around as a group of students ran past where they stood. Leah knew the teen well enough to know that he was avoiding her eyes.

"I'm fine," he insisted. "I was just taking a quick break."

Leah wasn't entirely convinced and by Nate's tone, she could tell that there was something else going on.

"You took your medication this morning?"

Nate chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Yeah. Mom reminded me to take those nasty herbs that Old Quil always gives Grandpa for me to take. I'm starting to think that Old Quil has been taking some herbs of his own, if you know what I mean."

Leah snorted and nodded. "They're supposed to help your breathing."

"My breathing is fine," he argued. "It's always fine."

"Good!" She exclaimed, with a smile. "That means they're working."

"I don't know why everyone is so paranoid when I haven't had an asthma attack since I was like 8," Nate stated. "I've outgrown most of my allergies, and I'm sure that my asthma is a thing of the past."

Leah crossed her arms. "Fair enough. But that still doesn't explain why you weren't keeping up with the group."

Nate sighed, feeling Leah's piercing gaze waiting for him to answer.

"It wouldn't have anything to do with those kids by the trees, would it?"

Nate's head suddenly lifted and surprise filled his eyes. He turned his head, looking to see the small group of students sitting far across the school property from where they stood.

"You can see them from here?"

"You'd be surprised. I have eyes everywhere," Leah commented cheekily with a smirk.

"So which one is it?"

"Which what?"

Leah crossed her arms, a mischevious expression on her face.

Now that Seth was married, she could no longer tease her brother about the girls who would watch him from afar or the ones he'd be interested in, yet wouldn't be interested in him. As happy as she was for Seth when Charlie introduced him to Amanda Whitehead from the Forks Police Department and they had begun dating, she no longer could tease him in that way. Being that Nate was now seventeen, Leah found that it was the perfect time to tease her younger cousin about girls, dating and the lack of it. In all honesty, she loved him and was simply looking out for him. To her, Nate had such a soft heart compared to most guys in his grade and a quiet demeaner. He wasn't the tallest in his class, nor was he muscular. He was much like Jacob had been years before the shape shifting gene had been turned on, yet she knew that Nate had his admirers within the younger grades. By inheriting Jacob's bright smile and eyes along with Nate's lighter complexion thanks to Jo's background and wavy mop of chin length hair set had him apart and made him unique within the tribal school.

"Which girl were you watching?"

Leah watched as her cousin's face flushed red. Nate showed his emotions on his sleeve as much as Jacob had at that age.

"Just please don't tell me it's Liz Uley..."

Nate's head shot up at the mention of her name.

"What?! Oh my God!" He exclaimed, visibly shocked before he chuckled. "Liz is like my sister. That is just so wrong in so many ways!"

Leah held up her hands apologetically.

"You know what? Don't tell me then! I don't want to know. Sometimes I think you're too young to be thinking about girls. Just don't get your head so full of them that you have no room for anything else in there, got it? You've got one more year before university. You don't want any distractions messing that up."

Nate chuckled and rolled his eyes. "Don't worry, Aunt Lee. Mom and Dad give me the same spiel. You'd think they're wanting to get rid of me or something."

"Nah," Leah replied. "They want the best for you. Neither of them were able to go to university and we all want you to succeed."

Nate sighed audibly. "I know, I know. But it would help if I knew what I want to do for university."

Leah put her hand on Nate's shoulder. "You have a good couple of months before you have to apply. No pressure."

Nate snorted. "No pressure, huh? It's just one of the biggest decisions of my life."

"Don't sweat it, kid. You'll be fine."

"Thanks Aunt Lee."

"You know that it's Miss Clearwater at school, bud," she stated, just as Ryan came running past again and poked Nate in the side.

"Let's go!" He exclaimed. "We've already lapped you!"

Talon laughed as he raced after the pair.

It wasn't too much longer before the bell rang, signaling the end of another school year. Leah called her class inside to get changed and to get ready to leave for home.

Nate walked out of the school to see both his siblings standing around the front entrance. His eye quickly caught Liam as the ten year old boy had his head down, playing some hand held video game while Sarah leaned against the brick wall, ear buds in her ears and a book in her hands.

Ignoring his sister, Nate walked up to Liam and quickly covered his eyes with his hands.

"Hey! I can't see!"

Nate chuckled and even Sarah glanced over, a smile on her face as she pulled out the ear buds.

"I think that is the point!" Nate retorted before he pulled back his hands and began to walk out to the parking lot. "I could have walked by and you'd not even notice. Uncle Charlie would have to come all the way back here in order to pick you up."

"I knew you were there," Liam argued, as he ran forward to catch up with his brother and sister.

"Sure you did," Sarah chuckled. "Your eyes haven't moved from that screen in your hands for almost five minutes."

Liam scowled. "How do you know? You just walked out."

Sarah laughed again. "I've been standing here watching you since I came out to wait for Nate five minutes ago!"

Nate joined in the laughter with his sister.

"Either way, you just ruined my game! I have to start the level all over again," Liam stated, shoving his video game into his back pack as he walked with Nate and Sarah.

The siblings walked up to the old red Rabbit that Jacob had redone a few times over since he had been young. The front passenger door protested as Sarah opened it and she winced.

"Yeah, yeah," Nate said, seeing the complaint on his sister's face. "It needs some oil."

She shook her head.

"Some?"

Liam climbed into the backseat as Nate turned on the engine. Again, Sarah winced.

"Seriously Nate, this car is sounding horrible," she told him. "You must have missed an oil change or something. If you'd let me take a look..."

"Oh, hell no!" Nate exclaimed, while putting the car into gear before he drove it off the school lot. "You are not working on this car. It's the only one I have. Dad gave it to me to use for the time being and I don't have enough savings yet to buy a new one. I'm busy enough saving for college."

Sarah scoffed, rolling down the window to cool off as they drove through La Push. "I've seen this engine. It isn't too complex and you know that Dad taught me enough to be able to find my way around under the hood of a car. Uncle Embry, Quil and Dad are probably all too busy working on client cars whereas I'll look at it right away and I'll do it for you for free, and not because you're my favourite big brother."

Nate momentarily glanced her way to see the excited and smiling face of his sister looking back at him. He shook his head adamantly.

"Uh uh, no way! The problem with you and cars is that, you'll start with something simple, like an oil change and by the time you're done, the entire engine is rebuilt and I'd be without a car for months. It's the summer and I'm going to be working at Aunt Sue's restaurant. I need a working car."

Sarah rolled her eyes.

"Your lack of confidence in me is insulting."

Nate scoffed, as Liam leaned forward from the backseat and glanced to Nate on his left and Sarah on his right.

"You know, Sarah," Liam began. "He has a point."

"Oh, shut up."

With a smile and without saying a word, Nate held his right palm back towards Liam, which he enthusiastically high fived while Sarah leaned forward to turn on the radio.

When they pulled into the parking lot at Sue's restaurant, it wasn't too busy. The evening rush of dinner was still a few hours away. Nate pulled the car up into an empty spot alongside Charlie's cruiser before the three climbed out of the Rabbit. Charlie must have seen the car pull in and was making his way out of the restaurant to meet them.

"Hey Uncle Charlie!" Liam exclaimed, walking towards him as he tugged his back pack over his shoulders.

"Hey pal," Charlie said, with a wry smirk. He ruffled his hand through the ten year old's hair. "You ready to go?"

"Yup! Can I sit in the backseat like you just arrested me?"

Charlie chuckled and unlocked the car. "Be my guest. Just don't get too comfortable back there. I don't ever want to see you in the back of a cruiser on any other day."

He paused and looked up at Sarah. "You stickin' around here or comin' along to hang out with the guys at your Grandpa's?"

Sarah smirked. She knew exactly who the 'guys' consisted of - Billy Black, Charlie Swan and her little brother. To her, it didn't sound like too much fun but it would be much more enjoyable than hanging around the restaurant waiting for Nate to finish his afternoon shift. In the very least, she could have fun exploring her Dad's old garage on her Grandpa's property. Her Dad still had quite a few interesting tools and things that he stored there.

"I'm coming along," Sarah replied, as Charlie nodded.

"You've got shot gun," he stated, as Sarah walked around the cruiser to climb into the passenger seat.

Liam was already in the back, enjoying the fact that he was in the backseat of the police car when Charlie turned to Nate.

"Your Mom is picking them up later when she's done at the office, right?"

Nate nodded.

As much as Jo enjoyed baking, the monotonous of the repetition in creating cookies and muffins each day would have nearly drove her insane. She needed the interaction with people and the excitement of variety. Although Jo had been offered to work part-time alongside Emily Uley with Sue at her restaurant, when she realized how little organization there was at Jacob's garage, she ultimately became the manager. Between her and Jacob, the garage ran smoothly; he in the garage itself, and her in the office portion. Her general knowledge of cars and parts from when she worked at the auto wreckers many years ago once again came in handy. Jo took care of the bookkeeping, and appointments, and ensured that customers were satisfied while they waited. They were the things that weren't Jacob's strongest suits.

As Nate turned to walk towards the restaurant, Charlie continued.

"Uh, Nate, I was doing some thinking," he began, causing Nate to look back at him. "Since you and Sarah and Liam are going to be staying with us for a few days this coming weekend while your folks are away, I was wonderin' if you were wantin' to come fishin' with your Grandpa, Old Quil and me. We could have some sort of male bondin' time while Sue takes Sarah and Liam with a few of the rez kids to the fair in Forks."

Nate stared at Charlie in confusion. As far as Nate was aware, his parents weren't planning on going away. While Nate tried to think of what was going on, Charlie took his hesitation as Nate silently not wanting to go.

"But, if you're not wantin' to come..."

"No, no, I do," Nate quickly interrupted. "It's just...I didn't know Mom and Dad were going away."

Charlie nodded, running his hand along the back of his neck.

"Yeah, seems like they're finally using that anniversary gift that Aunt Sue, your Grandpa and I gave them last year."

Nate thought back, recalling how excited Sue was to give his parents the three night stay at a hotel in Seattle along with tickets to go to the top of the Space Needle. Knowing that he would be in charge of the house while they were away, he remembered encouraging them to go the following weekend, but of course, they were busy. They were always busy but at the same time, Nate had a suspicion that they simply didn't like leaving the reservation for too long.

For as long as Nate could remember, he could not recall a time where his Mom and Dad were away on their own from La Push for more than a day. Even when his younger sister and brother were born, they had remained on the reservation to be close to their children. He found it odd but always chalked it up to the fact that they were home-bodies. So, to find out that his Mom and Dad were actually going to be gone for more than one day was exciting, except for the fact that it appeared that his parents had arranged for Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue to baby sit.

But, he was seventeen years old! He didn't need a babysitter! He could look after Liam and Sarah. Hell, he drove them to and from school each day and would watch them until one of his parents would get home from work. And there were the countless council meetings that they'd be attending where Nate would have to stay up late at night while Liam and Sarah slept. But again, they had never left the reservation. It wasn't like he wasn't responsible enough.

As that thought raced in his head and his offence grew, he tried to think back to perhaps a time when his Mom and Dad had mentioned going away, but he came up with nothing.

"They never mentioned it," Nate told him.

"Well, it probably slipped their minds. You know how busy they can get," Charlie said with a shrug. "Either way, your Aunt Sue and I are looking forward to having you guys over."

Nate forced a smile onto his face while Charlie climbed into the car before Liam leaned forward, asking for confirmation about what he had just overheard outside of the cruiser. With a sigh, Nate turned and headed towards the restaurant door.

When he arrived, the restaurant was pretty bare. Nate hadn't said much after he had arrived, much to Sue's concern. But he brushed it off, saying he was tired when in actuality, Nate was trying to figure out in his mind how he'd be able to get out of staying over at the Swan's. As much as he loved his Aunt and Uncle, he couldn't help but decide to approach his Dad the next time he saw him and try to convince him that he'd be able to look after his siblings at home.

As the hours of his shift moved into the dinner hours, the restaurant entrance became a revolving door with people coming to dine in while people stood around waiting to pick up orders to take out. Sue was busy, walking back and forth between the kitchen and the front desk, while her employees worked hard to serve the patrons that were staying for the dinner rush.

With an apron around his waist, Nate quickly turned to head towards another table when he felt himself bump into someone.

* * *

 ** _A/N - To anyone who knows my writing style, I like to set the stage with characters, events and conversations that may have something poignant to the plot later on. That being said, this isn't just a filler chapter. And...the next part is nearly complete. After some editing, I should have it published by Thursday...more reviews and I'll have it as soon as tomorrow. ;) So, you know what to do._**

 ** _For those who have reviewed in the past, thank you so much. I appreciate your thoughts, suggestions and comments._**


	9. Chapter 9

The body moved slightly when Nate collided into it. Fearful that he was going to knock them to the floor, he quickly turned, his hand ready to steady whomever he had bumped into.

"Oh, I'm so sorry."

To his surprise, a familiar face smiled at him, instantly bringing a smile to his own face.

"Liz! Hey!" His smile faded when he realized he had nearly knocked her over. "Are you okay?"

Liz shrugged it off and put up her hands.

She was shorter than he was, but just by an inch or so. Liz had those piercing Uley eyes but had inherited her mothers gentle smile. Her pin-straight hair fell over her shoulders.

"I'm good. I was just coming from the bathroom," she replied, glancing around towards the front door. "It's a busy night in here."

Nate nodded. "Schools out for the summer and everyone is hungry. Are you needing a table?"

"Actually, I already have one."

Nate looked at her in confusion before following her attention towards a small booth along the window. A blond haired guy smiled back as she waved over at him, causing him to wave meekly back at her. Quickly, Liz turned back to Nate.

"I'm on a date," she told him.

"A date, huh?" Nate said knowingly, before glaring at the guy waiting for her at the table. "Is that the boyfriend I've heard about?"

Nate had heard Talon talking all about Liz's new boyfriend, Kyle. The guy had spent an evening over at the Uley's for supper a week prior and had been interrogated by Sam, who asked him questions that ranged from his family life to his plans for the future. While her youngest brother Shawn had been excited to talk to the guy about football, as Kyle was on the football team at Fork High School, Talon simply sat across from the guy and stared him down while they ate. Unbeknownst to Liz, Emily had later told both her husband and oldest son how upset she was with their behaviour. To Sam's dismay, Emily reminded him that his daughter was getting older and she was bound to have a boyfriend someday. As much as he trusted his daughter, he believed that no man would ever be good enough for her.

Nate had to agree with Mr. Uley. Liz was as close to him as a sister and he couldn't help but look out for her no matter how many times she told him that he didn't have to.

Upon hearing his tone as he spoke and then seeing the dark glare on Nate's face, Liz pinched his forearm.

"Nathaneal William Black, stop it! Between Dad and Talon, Kyle's already had his fair share of intimidation. Leave him alone. He's a good guy."

Nate nodded in understanding. "Well, he'd better be. You deserve a good guy, even if he is a pale face."

Based on Nate's wide smile, Liz knew that he was teasing. She chuckled.

"He lives in Forks," she told him. "He works as a stock boy at the grocery store. I met him when Mom sent me into town to buy some ingredients for some pies that she was making for Sue."

Nate crossed his arms and shook his head.

"I'm still surprised."

"About what?"

"That your Dad is actually okay with you going on a date," Nate said with a chuckle. "I mean, I've always heard him say that you weren't going to be dating until you were at least twenty."

Liz nodded, recalling Sam saying those exact words.

"Well, I wouldn't say that Dad's okay with it all," she told him with a wince. "But I told him that it's something he's going to have to get use to."

Hearing his name being called from the counter, Nate turned his head just as Sue passed him a full glass coffee pot and instructed him to fill the mugs. She smiled at Liz and gave her a quick hug before heading back towards the kitchen.

"Well, I'll let you get back to work before I get you into more trouble," Liz told him, with a smile while Nate nodded.

"Yeah, Aunt Sue can be pretty tough."

Liz chuckled, hearing the sarcasm in his voice.

"But, it was good talking to you, Nate," she told him. "We should hang out sometime, like old times."

"I'm sure there will be bonfires this summer." He paused and glanced over at Kyle as he sat in the booth waiting for Liz while he casually watched the pair interact. When he met Nate's eyes, Kyle turned to look out the window. Although Nate was naturally broad shouldered, compared to Kyle, Nate was shorter and was lacking in the extra body mass. It was obvious that Kyle worked out. But Nate could easily get a dark look in his eyes that obviously unnerved the larger boy and Nate knew it.

"Bring the boyfriend along. It would be good to initiate him into some of the Rez rituals."

"I will, if you stop calling him 'the boyfriend'," Liz retorted, with a smirk.

Nate sighed. "Fine, fine," he said with a teasing smile, as he moved away to begin filling coffee mugs.

Liz crossed her arms and shook her head incredulously as she watched him. "Just you wait, buddy. There will be a day when little Nate Black finally finds a girlfriend."

Nate laughed aloud.

"And then I'll have a great time telling her all the embarassing stories I have of you from when you were younger," Liz added with a giggle.

With a smile, Nate simply shook his head and paused before looking up at her.

"And admit it - you'll be insanely jealous of that lucky woman."

Liz shook her head and laughed out loud at his teasing before turning to head back towards her table and date.

"Oh, just keep telling yourself that, Black."

"You know it's true," he called back before filling another mug. "Don't deny it."

Nate winked playfully at her before turning to attend to more customers.

Liz laughed as she walked back towards Ryan. As she made her way around the tables, she couldn't help but think back to the good times they had when they were little. Being one of four kids that were roughly the same age, her and Nate stuck together while Talon and Ryan would seem to be their opponents in any game they'd play. They didn't mind that she was a girl. They treated her no different. But of course, as the years went by, things changed. While Talon, Ryan and Nate continued that close friendship, Liz soon found her own group of friends apart from the boys. But when push came to shove, she knew that the boys would have her back.

Liz smiled at Kyle before she slid into the booth across from him.

"What was that about?" He asked, gesturing to where Nate was moving from table to table, filling up coffee mugs.

Liz shook her head. "Oh, that was just Nate Black. He's an old friend."

"Black? Is he related to Jacob Black?"

"Yeah, that's his Dad. Do you know him?"

Kyle shook his head.

"I've only heard of him," Kyle replied, before taking a sip of his water. "Folks come into the store talking sometimes and names get dropped."

Liz nodded in understanding.

"Why was he staring at me like that?"

"Like how?"

"Like he was going to come over here and try to beat the shit out of me. If he wasn't so scrawny, I'd be afraid of him."

Liz laughed and shook her head.

"He was looking at you for the same reason that Talon and my Dad were," she told him.

"Oh," Kyle said with a smile, remembering that horrible evening when he first met Sam Uley.

"But he's harmless," Liz added. "Nate's a real great guy. He's just looking out for me."

Kyle smiled. "Well, I suppose I should be thankful that there are so many people around here that are looking out for my girl."

"That's one way to think of the bright side," she said with a chuckle as the sound of a glass hitting the floor echoed throughout the restaurant.

The loud crash caused all conversations to come to an abrupt end before the few teens in the restaurant let out a customary cheer and clapped their hands at the incident. Liz turned just in time to see Nate kneeling on the ground to pick up the pieces of the broken coffee pot as Sue walked up from behind the counter to help him.

"Nate? What happened? Are you all right?"

"I'm fine," he mumbled embarrassingly as he gathered the shards of glass. He sniffed and rubbed his eyes. "It must have slipped when I was trying to switch hands."

Sue gasped audibly before she reached out to quickly grab Nate's hand, turning his palm over to see the swelling and redness of his skin along with the hives that began to pepper up the inside of his wrist to his forearm. She looked at his face, seeing his blood shot eyes.

"Oh god," Sue stated with a gasp. "What did you touch?"

"Nothing," he replied defensively, instantly sounding congested. "I was just pouring coffee."

When Nate suddenly coughed deeply before sniffing, Sue quickly stood up. She looked towards one of her servers who was busy taking orders. The young girl turned up when she heard her name being called before Sue instructed her to take care of the mess on the floor. Quietly instructing Nate to come with her, she pulled him to his feet and led him towards the back utility room that the employees also used to store their belongings in during their shift.

"You must have touched something that you're allergic to," Sue said seriously.

Nate pinched his eyes shut, trying to clear them from the itchiness that overwhelmed them.

"I haven't touched anything except for the tables, mugs and that coffee pot," he stated as Sue directed him to sit on the small chair.

Sue pulled Nate's bag from the hook and asked him where he kept his medication before she began rummaging through the pockets in search of the container. All the while, Nate leaned forward and closed his eyes, realizing that it felt better that way than having them open. Either way, they wouldn't stop running.

"Here, I found this," Sue said, turning his good palm over and placing his puffer into it.

"I don't need it," he told her, holding it out blindly towards her. "I can breathe perfectly fine. I just need the anti-histamines."

"Just hold onto it, please, for my own sanity. Is the epi-pen in here?"

Nate nodded. "But I don't need it. This is just a mild reaction."

He heard Sue scoff before another voice spoke up.

"Sue, can I help?"

Nate lifted his head slightly at the voice. He knew it as Liz's but he knew that she was supposed to be on a date at the moment. Nate opened his reddened, watery eyes slightly but found that Sue confirmed it for him.

"Liz! Yes!" she said. "If you don't mind, could you grab a cool cloth and a bottle of water from the kitchen for me?"

Nate presumed that Liz had left to do what Sue requested when he heard the sound of his pill bottle. A second later he felt two pills being thrusted into his good palm before he felt Sue's cool hands on the back of his neck.

She sighed aloud.

"You're sweating," she told him. "I'm going to cool you down and then I'll give your folks a call to come and get you."

Nate fully raised his head at that.

"No! Aunt Sue, I'll be fine in a few minutes," he said. "I'll be able to finish my shift, no problem."

"Not looking like that you aren't."

When a set of footsteps made their way into the small utility room, Sue thanked Liz before Nate felt the cool cloth rest on his neck. He heard the sound of a water bottle being cracked open before it was put into his hand. Nate tossed the pills into his mouth and washed them down with a long drink of the water.

"Nate? How are you feeling?" He heard Liz ask him after he had swallowed.

He opened and then clenched his swollen hand as best as she could before running his other hand along the bumpy hives on his forearm.

"My eyes are itching like crazy, and my hand burns while I'd like to take some sand paper to my arm. I'm sweating but I feel like I'm freezing, " he replied, with a chuckle. "All in all, I feel like shit."

Suddenly he felt a hand swat him on the back of the head.

"Language, young man," Sue chastised.

"Sorry," he mumbled, scratching at the hives. "I just thought that I had outgrown all of this crap."

Nate heard his aunt sigh over his foul language but this time she ignored it. She couldn't blame him for being frustrated.

"You may never fully outgrow them all," Sue told him. "But it would help if we knew what it was that started this so we will know for next time."

Nate reached over his shoulder to grab the wash cloth that Sue had placed on his neck and felt it slid off to the floor.

"Here, I got it, Nate," Liz said, as she reached over and picked it up off the floor and placed it into his hand.

"Liz, I hate to ask, but do you mind staying here with Nate while I give his Dad a call and then wait with him until he gets here? It's so busy out there right now especially now that I'm down one server."

Nate shook his head.

"Aunt Sue, she's on a..."

Liz suddenly grabbed Nate's hand to stop him from talking.

"I don't mind," Liz quickly interrupted, before looking at Nate. "Really, it's no big deal."

Sue smiled, as she put her had on Liz's shoulder.

"Thank you so much dear," she told her. "I really appreciate it."

"Sue, I'll be fine in a few minutes," Nate argued.

"You're going home," she told him. "The last thing I need on a busy night like tonight is you, going into anaphylactic shock."

"Come on, Aunt Sue..."

"You're going home, end of story."

Nate sighed.

"Fine, but I don't need to be picked up. I have my car here, I can drive."

Sue chucked as she shook her head at his stubbornness.

"Not like this you aren't. You can't even open your eyes without looking like you've been peeling an onion. Until someone comes for you, you're staying put."

She paused for a moment and looked at her great-nephew. His face was flushed, his eyes were wet and he looked horrible. She knew how much he wanted to work; to put money away but his life was worth so much more than his minimum wage and tips he'd be getting over the next few hours.

"I'm just looking out for you Nate," Sue added softly.

He nodded and answered softly. "I know."

As soon as Sue walked out of the room to resume her work, Liz grabbed an old bucket and turned it over to sit on it across from Nate.

"Do I really look that bad?"

Liz nodded.

"I could take a picture of you so you can see what you look like right now."

Nate winced. If he looked as bad as he felt, he really must look horrible.

"I don't think I'd want that reminder."

"I don't blame you."

Nate sighed, and ran the washcloth over his forehead and neck in an attempt to cool himself down. With his good hand, he unscrewed the cap of his water bottle and tried to pour it over the wash cloth but it began to tumble. Liz quickly reached forward, and took both items from his hands and offered to get it wet for him.

"I thought you were on a date."

"I am," Liz said as she grabbed another bucket from the stack in the corner and began to squeeze out the excess water from the cloth. "But Kyle will understand. I told him that I had to ensure that my friend was okay."

"You really don't have to stay here to watch me," he told her. "You're on a date. You should be out there, with him and not stuck in a broom closet with me."

"Nate, I told your aunt that I'm staying with you. Like I said, it's no big deal and Kyle won't mind at all. Really."

She placed the washcloth into his hand and watched as Nate placed it back on the back of his neck.

"He must really love you then," Nate said, sighing as he bent over to ensure the cloth didn't fall.

Liz awkwardly ran her hands together before looking at the floor, feeling her face flush. Although Kyle had never said the words aloud, they were always implied. She had only known him for a few months but she couldn't help but feel the butterflies in her stomach whenever he'd look at her.

Liz looked back up when she noticed Nate reaching over his shoulder to replace the cloth. Silently, she reached forward and took it in her own hand to cool it off once again for him. This time, instead of passing it back to him, she paused and carefully pushed the lock of wavy hair over his forehead back onto his head.

Nate opened his eyes to see what Liz was doing and met her own before she brushed the cloth against his forehead and down his cheeks.

"How's that?" Liz asked.

"Feels great. You're like a professional."

Liz chuckled. "Actually, when we're done high school next year, I'm considering going to college for nursing."

"You should! You'd be a natural," Nate commented with a smirk. Again, she laughed.

"Unfortunately, I really do doubt that I'll find my patients as agreeable as you."

She sighed aloud. "The only problem is Kyle. He's hoping to get a football scholarship to a university out east."

"And you're wanting to go there with him," Nate concluded. "You should. I really don't see the problem there."

"I've never lived anywhere outside of La Push," she said. "We've always vacationed near home. I don't know how I feel about going across the country for school."

Nate sighed, knowing the same feeling.

"It must be quite serious between you two if you're considering it."

Liz shrugged as she moved the cloth around Nate's neck. "It feels like we are but it's not just that. Somehow I know that if I leave, I'll be missing out on something here."

Nate laughed aloud. "La Push isn't really the most exciting place in the world. I don't know what it is that you'd be missing."

"My family is all here," she stated. "My friends."

"You'd make new friends."

Liz shrugged. "But they wouldn't be the same as the ones I have here. Besides, I'd miss my family."

She sighed a she took the cloth and poured water on it again before wringing it out into the bucket.

"Plus, I doubt that my Mom and Dad would agree to me going to college on the otherside of the country with Kyle."

"Who knows," Nate said, with a smirk. "A lot can change in a year. They could certainly change their minds by then."

Liz nodded. "True.

As she mused over that thought, she suddenly heard Sue's voice along with footsteps quickly coming up the hallway before Sue and then Jacob Black and Embry Call appeared in the doorway beside her.

Nate heard his Dad gasp before he breathed out a curse.

"Before you get upset, I'm fine," Nate said, daring to open an eyes while he squinted. He couldn't help but wipe away the tears with his good hand.

Jacob scoffed. "From where I'm standing, you certainly don't look it."

"I think someone may have cut one of our peanut butter cheesecakes before refilling the coffee pot that Nate was holding," Sue said as Jacob approached Nate and touched his hand, seeing the swelling and redness of the hives up his arm. "It's the only thing within the restaurant that I could think of that he could have been exposed to."

"And he had his medication?"

Sue nodded. "About fifteen minutes ago."

"Any trouble breathing?"

As Nate shook his head, Sue spoke. "I had Liz sit with him while I called you."

"He's been breathing fine," Liz stated. "He's been talking to me the entire time. He hasn't had to use the inhaler once while I've been here."

Jacob nodded and smirked.

"Sounds like he'll be all right but I'll take him home anyways." He turned to Sue and Liz. "I appreciate you two looking after him."

After another minute, Nate softly said his thanks to Liz before leaving the restaurant with Jacob at his side and Embry behind him. Nate caught a glimpse of Liz rejoining Kyle back at their table as he followed after his Dad while they walked out the door.

As the moist, ocean air hit him when they walked outside, Nate coughed.

"How's the breathing?" Jacob asked as they walked across the lot beneath the night sky.

With a curt shrug, Nate cleared his throat and answered, "I'm fine."

Jacob could sense Nate's sour mood in having to leave work early because of an allergic reaction that he had no control over.

"Look, I know that you're upset that this happened and I don't blame you," Jacob said, as they walked up to the Rabbit. "We just may have to reconsider you working at Aunt Sue's this summer if things like this are going to happen."

"Dad, I can't live in a bubble my entire life. This was no big deal. I'm fine."

Jacob paused as he came up to the Rabbit and turned to Nate. He pointed at his arm.

"That, is a big deal."

Nate rolled his eyes and huffed in frustration before quickly opening the passenger door to the Rabbit. Scowling and without saying a word, he climbed in and shut it firmly behind him.

"Whoa," Embry said incredulously. "Don't tell me they get more attitude as they get older. Two fifteen year olds is enough and I can barely handle Danielle's mood swings right now."

Jacob turned around to face his friend before running his hand through his hair. He blew air out between his lips.

"He's just frustrated," Jacob admitted. "Just when we begin to think that he's outgrown these allergies, this happens."

"It could be a whole lot worse," Embry reminded him, with a knowing smile. "Remember when we were seventeen?"

Jacob scoffed. "Don't remind me. That entire year was the year of hell."

Embry's smile fell when he recalled what Jacob had gone through, not only with phasing, but also with Bella.

"Hey man," he begun. "Sorry about bringing up past hurts."

Jacob shrugged. "I'm over it, have been for a while."

Embry knew that he had, but still felt compelled to apologize.

"I appreciate the ride over," Jacob told him, holding out his hand towards Embry who promptly shook it.

"Not a problem, bro. I'm just glad Nate's all right," Embry stated, taking a deep breath as he caught the scent of Sue's cooking.

"Since I'm here, I think I may grab something for supper to bring home. Mich is working late at the hospital again and I doubt the twins will have anything ready when I get home."

"Good plan," Jacob stated. "I'll see you tomorrow then."

"Bright and early," Embry confirmed, as he spun on his heel while he headed towards the front door of the restaurant.

Jacob sighed as he climbed into the Rabbit and was met with complete silence. Nate ignored him, and looked out the window as his Dad turned on the car and pulled out of the parking lot. While he drove, Jacob would look over at Nate every so often, not only to ensure that he was okay but also hoping that he'd get his son's attention. Each time, Nate was looking out the window. When they pulled up to a traffic light, Jacob turned to Nate.

"How's the hand?"

Nate turned it over, yet didn't make eye contact with Jacob.

"It's fine."

"Can I see it?"

"I said that it was fine," Nate snapped, this time turning to look at his father. The fierce gaze in his expression softened when he realized that he had raised his voice at his father. Quickly, he looked back out the window.

"Okay," Jacob said, keeping his own voice firm as he turned his attention to waiting for the light to turn green. "Something is going on, and it's more than just the allergic reaction."

Nate sighed audibly, confirming Jacob's suspicions. He knew his son well enough. Nate could be just as stubborn as he was. It was infuriating sometimes and Jacob had sympathy for what his own father had gone through with him.

"Talk to me, Nate."

"Dad, I'm not a little kid anymore," Nate told him. "I'm seventeen."

"I know you are."

Nate scoffed.

"Then why does it seem that everyone seems to treat me like I'm younger than I really am."

Jacob chuckled. "That's ridiculous. Who's everyone?"

"Aunt Sue, Grandpa, Mom...you."

"Me? How do I treat you like a little kid?"

"You're always asking how I am, and even when I tell you that 'I'm fine', you'll ask again as though you're expecting a different answer. I feel like I'm living in a bubble half of the time. You don't allow me to join sports teams at school and whenever I ask about going to a party, you say no."

Jacob held up his hand.

"Hold on there," he stated. "These parties would usually involve drinking and that's something that your Mom and I don't want you to get into. As for the sports, it was always been due to your asthma."

"I haven't had an attack in years," Nate countered.

Jacob nodded. "Fair enough. If you want to get into sports for your senior year, go right ahead."

He paused as the light turned green.

"But I still don't see how those things make you feel that we treat you like a child."

Nate sighed as he looked out the window.

"I know that you and Mom are going away next weekend and that you're having Sarah, Liam and I stay over at Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue's."

Jacob looked over at Nate, surprised. "Did Aunt Sue tell you?"

Nate shook his head. "No, Uncle Charlie mentioned it. Dad, I'm seventeen years old. I don't need a babysitter. It's like you guys don't trust me or something."

Jacob nodded in understanding in where Nate was drawing his conclusions.

"Nate, it's not that we don't trust you. It's just that your Mother and I would feel more comfortable if there was an adult with you guys. We'll be gone for two nights and we've never been gone away from any of you for that long. Besides, we want to ensure that Liam is being fed dinner each night. Between you and Sarah, the three of you would be liable to eat junk food all weekend."

Jacob looked over at Nate as he continued to look out the window.

"This was all decided late last night. We were planning on telling you guys this evening."

"But you are right," Jacob said with a sigh. "You don't need a babysitter. If this weekend goes well and you can honour us by abiding by Uncle Charlie and Aunt Sue's rules, then next time, you could be in charge of the house."

Nate turned his head, hearing his father's words.

"Really? You're serious?"

"Completely," Jacob replied with a smile. "Just keep this weekend a secret until we tell Sarah and Liam. I know Liam is going to be excited."

Nate bit his lip and winced. "Actually, he already knows."

Jacob's smile fell.

"Charlie?"

Nate nodded, as Jacob sighed.

"I knew he'd say something. He's been wanting to take you fishing with Old Quil and Grandpa."

"Yeah, he said something about that too."

"Are you wanting to go?"

Nate snorted and smiled. "Of course. Fishing with Uncle Charlie and Grandpa is always riot! Old Quil ends up falling asleep half of the time and Grandpa has to wake him cause his snoring scares the fish."

Jacob laughed, nodding. "He hasn't changed then."

He looked over at Nate, seeing his son smiling despite his eyes still being red and watery.

"Nate," he said, causing the seventeen year old to look at him. "Thank you for agreeing to all of this."

Nate nodded, looking back out the window. "Bring me back a Mariners hat?"

Jacob chuckled.

"Sure thing pal."

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Thank you to the two who reviewed my last chapter that I published yesterday. I really appreciate your comments and thoughts. I hope that I can surprise you along the way. Although I know that I had over a hundred readers for the last chapter and just the two reviews, I still put out this chapter cause I'm excited for what's to come. Maybe I'm going too slow in my storyline? Let me know what if it is. Things are soon going to be picking up..._**


	10. Chapter 10

Distant thunder cracked over the hills as the early-evening sky began to darken with the thick clouds. Knowing that an impending storm was approaching, Charlie, Jacob and Nate quickly grabbed the bags from the trunk of the old Ford Expedition before moving them into the house.

Jo stood back and quickly gestured to Liam to come to her before she wrapped her arms around him.

"Ugh, Mom you're squeezing me too tight!" Liam moaned as Jo ignored his complaints and hugged her ten year old son.

They stood outside of the small home that Charlie and Sue shared on the reservation.

A few years after they had married, Charlie had bought a small parcel of land near the eastern boundary of the reservation. It was close enough to Forks that it shortened his drive to work and was still on La Push land. It was the chance for him and Sue to make memories of their own. As much as he enjoyed living with Sue at her house, the memories of Harry Clearwater still hung heavily in the air, even after all the years. While he was Sue's late husband, he was also one of Charlie's best friends. So, when Charlie suggested that they build their own place, Sue was in agreement. She ultimately left the house to Seth as a late wedding gift to him and his wife, Amanda, who was already pregnant at the time with their first child, Hannah.

When Leah had returned after her nasty divorce from her husband, Sue insisted that she stayed with her and Charlie. Paying a monthly rent to her mom and step-father, Leah stayed in a room on the main floor with a separate entrance. Leah knew that she was underpaying them and was determined to pay them back one day.

Jo looked up at the house, seeing Charlie walk out the front door with Nate and Jacob following behind him. Jacob smiled at Jo as he moved past them to close the back hatch of their old SUV.

As she let go of Liam, Sarah moved forward and wrapped her arms around Jo.

As tough as Sarah portrayed herself, she did need her Mom, even more so now as she was growing up. Being a thirteen year old girl sandwiched between two brothers wasn't an easy place to be. Although Liam teased her when it came to seeing the visible changes in her body as she went through adolescence, Nate was the one who would put his younger brother in his place.

Months ago, he had heard her crying in her bedroom on Jo's lap over girls in school making fun of her for being flatter chested and then again more recently because some boys had rated the girls in her class on how pretty they were and she was told by some friends that she was listed at the bottom. Nate knew that girls could be cruel but to hear what his sister had gone through angered him. It was no wonder that she preferred to hang out with their cousins or in their Father's garage.

"Remember that if you have any problems, you can talk to Aunt Sue if you need to," Jo reminded her, softly.

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Mom, you're only going to be gone two days."

Jo nodded, as she looked over at Nate as he stood beside Liam with his arms crossed.

"We'll be fine, Mom."

She sighed, looking at her oldest son, who smiled back at her. His stance mirrored so much to that of his father.

"I know."

When she felt a hand rest on her shoulder, she knew that it was Jacob.

"Charlie, Sue, we really appreciate you guys doing this for us," he said, moving his hand down Jo's arm to take her hand in his own.

"It's our pleasure," Sue said brightly, putting her arm around Sarah before glancing at Charlie. "We've been looking forward to having the kids over for a while.

Jacob smiled and looked over at Liam and Sarah. "I expect you guys to behave."

"Don't worry, Jake. They'll be fine," Charlie said, looking up at the sky as thunder echoed above them. "You two head off before this storm hits."

Just as he spoke, the first few large drops began to fall.

"Call us if there are any issues," Jo said, as Jacob tugged on her hand while the rain started to turn into a downpour.

While Charlie, Sue and the kids darted beneath the overhang of their covered porch, Jo and Jacob ran back towards the SUV, closing their doors just as the winds began to pick up with incoming storm off the coast. Jo looked in the side mirror to see that everyone had already moved inside with the storm starting to buckle down on land. Jacob turned on the car, flipped on their lights and they soon made their way down La Push road with their wipers brushing side to side.

"I still can't believe we're doing this," Jacob suddenly said over the roar of the rain pounding against the windshield.

Jo turned to him, seeing his face illuminated by the dash.

"Do you mean that in a good way or bad?"

Jacob snorted and grabbed her hand with a broad smile on his face. "Good, of course. I can't think of a time where it was just the two of us for a weekend without kids, work or tribe business to look after."

He paused, his smile fading.

"Why? Are you not wanting to go?"

"No, no," Jo replied quickly, shaking her head. "Jake, I wanna go."

She chuckled slightly. "I've been so excited about this for days since we decided to go on this weekend trip."

Something in her voice caused Jacob to wonder how much of that was the truth. There was something still bothering her.

"But?"

She sighed and looked at Jacob, who had a big suspicion behind her reluctance to go. To Jake, it had to be the main issue in their reluctance to go away.

"Jo, the kids will be fine."

"I know they will be fine. I really do," she said honestly. "I trust Charlie and Sue and I believe they'll be fine. It's just..."

Jo paused and sighed before shaking her head in confusion.

"I think that maybe it's just the fact that we haven't ever been away from them before. I don't know, but I just can't explain why I'm feeling so anxious about this. That's all."

Jacob rubbed his thumb against her palm as they drove off the reservation lands, leaving La Push behind them. He could feel her anxiety.

"I understand," he said softly. Jacob paused and sighed as he considered voicing his own concern. "I have to admit that I'm feeling a bit uneasy about this too."

Jo quickly turned to look at Jacob and shook her head.

"Jake, maybe we should rethink this then," she began. "If the both of us are feeling anxious about being away, maybe we shouldn't be leaving."

"Jo, we need to get away, if only for the sake of being alone," he said, with a smile. "Besides, you said it yourself - you've been looking forward to going and so have I."

Jo looked back out the front windshield as the wipers moved quickly back and forth, letting go of Jacob's hand to allow him to drive with both hands on the wheel.

"You're right," she admitted, with a small grin before it fell once again. "But that doesn't mean that we need to go today. We can cancel and go sometime next month."

Jacob glanced over at her in the darkness of the car. With a sigh, he pulled the car over onto the uneven gravel shoulder, surprising Jo. The wipers continued thier desperate attempt to clear the water from the windshield as the SUV came to a rough stop.

"Jake, what are you doing?"

Jacob put the SUV into park and shifted in the drivers seat, angling himself so he could look straight at Jo in the darkness of their car.

"Jo, look at me and tell me that you don't want to go," he said firmly.

She sighed, looking into Jacob's eyes. They were warm, and could pierce her soul with one glance. They could also read her, almost sense her innermost thoughts. It could be unnerving but it was also comforting. Being imprinted to her, he knew what she needed and when. Any unusual connection between them seemed to always come back to the imprint. Because of that, Jo knew there really wasn't any point in answering his question. Jacob would have his answer, and had already known it before he even asked.

A smirk appeared on Jacob's mouth as he reached across and found her hand once again, slipping his fingers between Jo's.

"I want to spend some time alone with my wife and take the opportunity to take her out to dinner at a fancy restaurant that we can only afford once every ten years. I want to remind her how much she means to me.

"We get so busy with the business, the tribe and with the kids all the time and I can feel that imprint tugging at me to the point where I just need to touch you; to be with you - just you."

Jacob paused and looked down at their joined hands.

"But, if you think we should, we'll turn around and head back. I just don't want to miss this chance to have you to myself for an entire weekend."

He shrugged.

"Maybe that's a bit selfish, but you don't know how much I need you."

A smile came to Jo's face as she reached out with her free hand and brushed her fingers down Jacob's cheek.

"You silly man," she snorted. "I sometimes wonder if you forget that I feel the same way. Jacob, you're my imprint. You were the main reason why I chose to work at the garage rather than with Aunt Sue. It was more than just the lack of organization that you guys had going on in the office. The thought of going all day without seeing you made me feel sick to my stomach. I know that you were supportive in whatever I decided to do but I knew I'd go crazy if I couldn't see you. So, I know exactly how you feel when you say that we need to spend time alone together."

She sighed, before looking down at their enclosed fingers.

"But at the same time, I can't shake this uneasiness."

Jacob nodded, feeling the same way when a memory came to mind.

All those years ago when he had run from La Push following seeing the invitation of Bella Swan's marriage to Edward Cullen had caused feelings of anxiety and uneasiness that lasted for weeks before the wolf felt only the loneliness at being separated from his pack. Being connected to the wolf, Jacob had forced the spirit warrior within to abide to his wishes in staying away from Washington. It wasn't until the dreams that haunted him and ultimately forced him back to La Push that he felt better. At first he thought it was the promise of seeing Bella again, but later discovered that it was due to the wolf pulling him towards his imprint, Jo. Experiencing those same anxious feelings once again and hearing Jo speak about how she felt made him reconsider their weekend plans.

"I wonder..."

"What?"

Jacob sighed. "The wolf. I don't think they like being away from La Push."

Jo's face appeared skeptical and was about to speak when Jacob cut her off.

"Think about it," he urged. "We're forever joined with spirit warriors, the wolves, who are connected to the land of our ancestors. If we're away, or are somehow disconnected from the pack, it would make sense that it would cause the wolf to become aggitated and anxious. Wolves can't survive on their own."

Jo nodded, looking down at their hands.

"Leah spoke about feeling like that when she had gotten married and left," Jo said, softly before her mind shifted to her Dad, Michael Clearwater who had been the only one from his generation to have phased during a hunting trip years before she was born.

"I wonder if my Dad felt like this when he left La Push."

"Jo, we can just turn around," Jacob quickly suggested. "Believe me, I don't want you to be feeling what I felt when I was away from La Push."

Jo sighed and smiled before leaning in to kiss him, but stopped an inch in front of his face to look him in the eyes.

"It's just two days, Jake," she told him. "And as much as I'm feeling uneasy about leaving, I'm not alone. I'm with my imprint and I know that the wolf knows that. And honestly, I feel better knowing what it is."

Jacob smiled, looking at Jo's eyes before his gaze quickly dropped to her lips.

"So, you're okay with going?"

She nodded, biting her lip coyly.

"I'd hate to tell Leah that our shopping trip yesterday was a waste."

Jacob's smile fell in confusion. "Shopping trip?"

Jo smirked and rolled her eyes. "She convinced me to buy something that according to her, I'd need to wear this weekend." She paused. "Actually, it's probably more for you to take off than me to wear."

Jo could see Jacob's mind turning as he tried to figure out what she was telling him when suddenly his eyes widened, and a smirk appeared on his face.

"Seriously?"

Jo nodded wordlessly before sliding back into her seat.

Jacob shook his head and chuckled before quickly pulling the car back onto the road.

"This is going to be a long two and half hour drive to Seattle," he said dismally, while carefully driving over the rain covered road ahead of them.

Jo chuckled lightly in the darkness of the SUV.

"Well, we could always phase and run there, but then again, neither of us have phased in years," she suggested with a smirk.

Jacob quickly looked at her sharply before glancing back at the road ahead. "Don't tempt me."

Jo laughed aloud.

* * *

The storm was short lived, cuasing the morning sun to shine through the curtained windows at the Swan home.

For being away from home, Nate slept relatively well. So well in fact, that he didn't even move when Liam woke up hours earlier in the guest room that they had shared. Due to habit, Sue and Charlie were early risers and were already awake when Liam and then Sarah woke up. Leah was more than willing to share her room with her cousin, promising that they'd be painting their nails and watch a chick-flick that night. But for the day, Sue and Leah took both Liam and Sarah to the fair in Forks along with Seth's wife, Amanda and their daughter, Hannah, leaving the men at home, with plans to watch the baseball game on Billy Black's television.

Tapping his fingers against the empty coffee mug between his hands, Charlie glanced up at the oven clock, and sighed before looking over at Seth across from him at the table. His step-son, Seth who had recently become an officer on his force sat as he read the newspaper acting seemingly oblivous to Charlie's quickening inpatience.

"It's 10:30," Charlie commented. "Don'tcha think it's a little late for the kid to still be sleeping?"

Seth chuckled.

"Nate's seventeen," he replied, turning the page in the paper. "I'm thinking it's pretty normal."

Charlie sighed as he pushed out the kitchen chair and made his way over to the sink to place his empty coffee mug into it.

Besides himself, the only teenager that he had experience with was Bella, and from what he could recall, she had the opposite problem when it came to sleeping. Even after all these years, he could still remember the horrible nights where he'd wake up to hear her screaming at the top of her lungs in her bed, scaring the shit out of him. Those nights were a living hell for him to watch his only daughter experience the heartache of loosing someone she cared deeply about; if only she knew how those first few months after Bella sudden disappearance had affected him. Although he'd never openly admit it, even after Bella's missing person investigation had closed after 3 years of searching due to lack of evidence, he'd still wake in the night thinking he was hearing her scream.

Charlie scoffed. "Normal. Yeah, well...Nate's going to sleep through the Mariners game and we're going to miss it as well if he doesn't get up soon. Billy is expecting us over at his place around 11 and I need to make a few stops first."

Seth put down the paper and folded it.

"Do you want me to go see if I can wake him up?"

"Naw, I'll get him," Charlie told him with a sigh. "I'm a cop. I'm pretty certain that I can handle a sleeping teenager."

Seth chuckled and watched as Charlie went upstairs.

Nate was still fast asleep when Charlie suddenly pulled open the curtains, flooding the room with bright sunlight.

"Up and at'em, boy," Charlie said aloud, as Nate moaned and rolled over, reaching blindly for the blanket that had escaped him while he had slept. "We're watching Mariners game at your grandpa's in an hour and we're leaving in ten minutes to have lunch first, so get a move-on."

Nate squinted against the offending light and ran his fingers through his hair as he stared blankly at Charlie who stood in the doorway of the room.

"What's going on?"

Charlie snorted under his moustache at the boy's confusion.

"Uh, Mariners. Lunch. Fifteen minutes. Get moving."

It was another few seconds before the light suddenly went off in Nate's head and he quickly looked at the digital clock beside the bed.

"I slept in!"

Charlie nodded nonchalantly while Nate quickly jumped up and proceeded to pull his shirt over his head to change. "Uh, yeah, you did."

"Gimme five minutes," Nate said, as Charlie left the room, leaving the teen to get dressed.

Nate's five minutes quickly turned into fifteen before he rushed out the front door and climbed into the passenger side of Charlie's truck, apologizing for the delay and tying his shoes the moment he sat down. Charlie chuckled, as he backed the truck out of the driveway. He explained that Seth had already left ahead of them to pick up beer before meeting them at Billy's house.

"You know, if you're gonna to be joinin' us for fishing tomorrow mornin', you're gonna hafta get up a lot earlier," Charlie reminded him as he drove. "That is, if you're still wantin' to come."

Nate nodded as he looked out the window.

"I do," Nate told him. "I still can't believe I slept in."

"Maybe your body is still trying to get over that reaction you had the other day. Sounded like it took a lot out of you."

Nate turned and looked at Charlie and sighed.

"You heard about that?"

Charlie nodded. "I first heard about it from one of that Cameron girl who came over to hang out with Sarah when he were over at your grandpa's that day. She said that her Mom had been talking to Old Quil. Sue later told me about it too. Since you guys were coming over for the weekend, she came home and checked the puffers and epi-pen that we have stored at the house to make sure they hadn't expired. We all thought you were over those allergic reactions."

Nate sighed and leaned his head back against the headrest of the car.

Charlie glanced over at Nate and elbowed him.

"Hey! Chances are that it was just a one-time thing."

Nate nodded. "I know. I just don't like it how everyone knows everything that goes on around here."

Charlie chuckled. "It's a small reservation. It's bound to happen. I'm guessing there aren't too many secrets in La Push."

They pulled into Billy's driveway and pulled up alongside Seth's truck that he was in the process of emptying. Billy sat in his chair within the doorway of his home and smiled upon seeing his friend and grandson arrive.

"You're late old man!" Billy called out, teasingly.

Charlie paused and looked at his watch before turning his wrist towards Billy. "On time!"

Billy scoffed. "According to that archaic watch maybe."

Nate chuckled and shook his head as he listened to Charlie and his grandfather continue their playful bantering back and forth. He had grown up hearing their sarcastic comments and friendly insults. If anything, their interactions simply got more corny the older they got. Jacob would tease the two men, telling them that it was simply signs of senile dementia.

As he neared the house, he could smell the BBQ around back and could hear his Uncle Paul's voice along with Uncle Jared's infectious laughter. Rather than follow Billy, and Charlie through the house, Nate followed Seth around back. Paul's voice got louder as they approached.

"I told Rach that I loved her pork chops cause I didn't have the heart to tell her that they were beyond saving. She worked for hours on them," Paul chuckled. "They were black and tasted like crap, but I ate them. That woman can cook, but just can't work a barbecue to save her life."

Jared laughed. "Oh man! And you ate them?"

Paul shrugged. "I would've eaten dirt with the way she was looking at me. Imprinting has it's benefits but at those times it just sucks shit!"

"Oh, hey Nate!" Jared said loudly, eyeing Paul cautiously given his last statement. It wasn't so much his language but the words he used. He doubted that Jacob would be pleased to find that his 17 year old is asking him questions based on what he had overheard his Uncle Paul say. They had always been so cautious when they were around those who didn't have the knowledge of the existence of the pack. For the first time in a long time, Paul had felt relaxed enough to speak freely and he was close to saying too much.

Paul spun around, his eyes slightly wide but he smiled broadly seeing Nate. Seth walked up beside him, two packs of beer in his arms.

"Hey Seth!"

Jared rushed over and took the beer from Seth's arms.

"How's the BBQ coming Paul?"

"Another fifteen and we should be good," he quickly replied.

Somehow sensing that something had nearly occured on the back deck, Billy rolled out the patio door, informing them that CHarlie was just in the bathroom. He looked over at Nate and told him that his cousin Ryan and Jared's son, Jonah were out by the garage. Nate seemed relieved to be able to be with friends for the afternoon and Paul was silently thanking his father-in-law for breaking up a possibly uncomfortable situation.

"Did something just happen out here?"

Jared smirked and looked over at Paul.

"Just a slip of the tongue from our resident genius over there," Jared chastised sarcastically, pointing his finger towards Paul.

Paul rolled his eyes. "It was nothing. I just mentioned imprinting. I doubt the kid even heard it."

"If I hadn't said something you would've just kept on going," Jared stated.

Billy sighed and nodded. "Just...be more careful. The last thing we need is any of those kids asking questions. We made it this far."

* * *

Nate had been in the old wood-sided garage countless times. He had helped his Dad clean it out on numerous occasions. He had watched his Dad and Uncles Quil and Embry haul the old VW Rabbit out of there and push it down the road to his Dad's garage years ago. For the time, it was simply being used for storage. It housed his grandfather's push mower, many pieces of garden equipement and dozens of plastic storage bins.

He heard voices inside and knocked on the outside door before walking in. Visibly doing something they shouldn't have been, Ryan and Jonah quickly stood up from the totes that they had been sitting on.

"Hey, it's just me," Nate said, holding up his hands in front of him.

Ryan let out a sigh in relief and sat back down as Jonah chuckled.

"You nearly gave me a heart attack," Ryan said. "We thought you were one of the Dad's".

Nate smiled. "You guys are looking pretty shady right now. You're lucky I wasn't one of the Dad's or you'd be busted for doing whatever shit you were doing."

Ryan snorted. "We're doing nothing."

"Just looking at hot pics of girls on Ryan's phone," Jonah stated with a laugh before Ryan reached out to hit him over the head, but missed.

Nate rolled his eyes. "Seriously? That's what you guys were doing out here?"

"Hey! It's La Push! There isn't much to do around here that is deemed as fun."

Nate walked over to them, pulling a tote forward to sit on it, knocking over a box as he moved it. It was obvious that the contents were heavy as they clanged as it fell over.

"Way to go, Black," Ryan teased. "You're knocking over your old man's bowling trophies."

Nate cursed under his breath at his cousin before righting the box once again. He crouched over when he noticed that a few contents had spilled out of the open lid. A single picture caught his eye.

"Hey, check this out," Nate said, as both Ryan and Jonah came over to him. He held out a small photo towards them. Ryan took the photo between his fingers and laughed.

"OH my god," he laughed. "I never knew that Uncle Jake ever had long hair like Grandpa."

"Really?" Jonah exclaimed. "Let me see."

Ryan held the photo towards Jonah and chuckled.

"Man, Nate you look just like your Dad, minus that awful wig on his head." Ryan paused and looked at the photo further. "Who's the girl beside him? It ain't my Mom or Aunt Jo."

"Old girlfriend maybe?" Jonah suggested before wincing. "Who knew that your Dad would've had a pale face for a girlfriend."

Nate reached forward and grabbed the photo from Ryan's fingers and handed his cousin a small stack.

"I don't know, but check these out."

While Ryan began to shuffle through them, gaining more than a few chuckles at the images of their father's when they were their age, Nate folded up that single picture of his Dad with mystery girl and shoved it into his pocket.

"This must be Dad's old things," Nate said, turning to sift further through the box. "I wonder why he left them here rather than bring them to the house."

Ryan paused in his perusing of the stack of photos and passed them to Jonah. "Maybe he has something to hide...like some tragic memory that he just wants to forget...like the day his oldest son was born."

"Ha, ha, jackass," Nate replied dryly. "But still, it does make me wonder."

"Hey guys, check this one out," Jonah said, changing the subject and causing Nate to stand up from where he was crouching over the box to join the two teenage boys.

Jonah held out a photo of Jacob with that long hair along with Embry Call, sporting a similar look. They had their arms around a shorter guy whom from what they could tell looked more like his present day self than either Jacob or Embry.

"Is that Uncle Quil?"

"Man, either than the obvious growth spurt, he hasn't changed at all," Ryan said in astonishment.

Jonah looked over at Nate and then Ryan. "Don't you guys think it's odd? I mean, Uncle Quil looks to be more our age than our Dad's."

Ryan nodded. "I asked my Dad about it once. He told me that Quil had some sort of condition where he didn't appear to get any older than his early-twenties or so. That's all well and good...except he married Claire Young."

Jonah agreed. "Yeah, that's just a bit weird. I mean, she's like twenty two and he's like thirty-six . It's a little gross."

Nate winced and nodded. "But their daughter Joy is the cutest kid I've ever seen. I hope that she doesn't end up with the same condition."

Joy was only two years old and lived up to her name. Sarah had the opportunity to babysit for the Quil and Claire Ateara a few times. She had brought the little girl over to play and Joy was found a few times playing in Liam's closet with his Nerf guns rather than with Sarah's old dolls. Claire wasn't impressed when Liam told her that he had taught the young toddler how to shoot darts, but Quil was clearly amused. She not only had him wrapped around his finger but her great-grandfather, Old Quil as well.

"Oddly enough, if he had married a woman his own age, I doubt anyone would question it. It would appear as though he married an older woman," Jonah commented, as Ryan elbowed him and smirked.

"Nothing wrong with hooking up with an older woman, huh Jonah? Some of those senior girls who graduated this year..." Ryan whistled as Jonah nodded in agreement.

Although Jonah and Ryan were going into their junior year while Nate was to start his senior year in the fall, they had all talked about the graduating seniors within their school.

"Oh and speaking of the seniors," Ryan added, pulling out his cell phone. "I got wind of a end-of-school-year party that a bunch of the graduating kids from Forks and the tribal school are having tonight."

"You got 'wind' of it? How?" Jonah asked, skeptical.

Ryan shrugged and laughed. "Okay, I overheard a bunch of girls talking when I was in town earlier. Either way, I wanted to see if you guys wanted to go with me."

"But we aren't graduating this year," Nate stated.

"They don't know that," Ryan argued.

Nate scoffed.

"It's a small rez, Ryan."

"And we don't exactly look like seniors," Jonah added.

Ryan groaned and rolled his eyes. "If you guys don't wanna go with me, then that's fine. I'll go alone. I just thought that maybe you guys would be interested in having some fun."

Nate sighed. "Where is it being held?"

Ryan smirked. "The cliffs."

"The cliffs? You mean, the cliff jumping cliffs? The ones by Second beach that have been fenced off for the past few years with a no-trespassing sign that the elders, which included Grandpa, had decided to put up? Those cliffs?"

"The sign was only to scare kids away from jumping off the highest point," Ryan told him. "I doubt anyone would be jumping from there."

"But aren't you scared of heights?"

Ryan scoffed. "I'm not going to be jumping. Nate, if you're not wanting to come with me, then say so."

"I never said I didn't want to come," Nate stated. "Count me in."

"Me too," Jonah added, with a broad smile. "So, what's the plan for getting ourselves there?"

"We'll have to come up with something," Ryan said, just as they heard a knock on the side of the door, instantly ceasing their conversation.

Seth opened the door and smiled.

"Lunch is ready."

"Awesome!" Jonah said, as he quickly tossed the last few photos in his hand back into the box that Nate shoved back against the wall.

"I'm starving," Ryan quipped, moving past Seth.

Seth clapped him on the shoulder as Ryan followed Jonah out the door.

"What were you guys doing out here?"

Nate shrugged as he walked past Seth after Ryan and Jonah and smiled. "Guy stuff."

"Guy stuff," Seth said softly to himself as his eye went to the box that Nate had replaced against the wall before closing the garage door behind him.

* * *

A/N

Happy New Year! I have worked on this off and on over the past two weeks. Thank you for the PM's asking for when I'd be updating, for the new followers and the reviews. I love hearing your thoughts and ideas!

To clear up any issues and disagreements on how I portrayed the Quilleute's behaviour towards the Cullen's - although the Cullen's have helped the Quilleute's in the past, they are still their natural enemy. It would make sense that the old pack would be angry that they had resurfaced given how their presense could have an adverse affect on their children. The pack knows what they endured and the last thing they'd want to have happen is for their kids to go through it as well.

Anyways, I'm hoping to have the next part up by the weekend or early next week.

In the meantime, you know the drill...please review! Thank you! :)


	11. Chapter 11

Jacob sat on the end of the bed and looked across at the full length mirror on the wall as he twisted his wedding ring around his finger for the tenth time. He turned his wrist over to look at the time. After a few more seconds, he quickly stood up and made his way to the closed bathroom door before knocking gently on it.

"Jo, our reservation is for eight. We have fifteen minutes to get across town." He paused and sighed. "And you've been in there for forty-five minutes."

"Jake, just give me...like another few minutes," Jo said from behind the bathroom door.

Jacob chuckled as he walked the length of their small hotel room once again. "You never take this long to get ready at home."

"It's not everyday that we have dinner at a fancy restaurant that requires formal wear, Jake."

He sighed as he looked at himself in the mirror on the back of their hotel room door.

Jo was right. The last time he was wearing the grey suit that he had on was for Quil's wedding three years ago. The only thing that was new was the black herringbone tie that Sarah had bought him for his birthday earlier in the year.

Jacob adusted the tie and then his collar, ensuring that it wasn't puckering up anywhere before he did up the button on the jacket. He leaned in towards the mirror and gently fixed his hair a bit more when he heard the bathroom door open. He paused and turned his head just as Jo walked out.

She winced as she took some unsteady steps in the black three inch strappy heels.

"I have a feeling that my feet are going to be killing me by the end of the night."

Jo looked over at Jacob who seemed to be surprised by the expression on his face. She quickly looked down at the purple, knee-length dress that was wrapped around her. Being that it was strapless, Jo was a little more than concerned about the possible need that she'd be pulling at it all night. But beggars couldn't be choosers; Kim was more than willing to lend her dress to Jo for the weekend.

"Does it look all right?"

Jacob seemed to come out of his stupor as he walked towards her, a smile on his face as he shook his head.

"You look..." he began but paused before coming up to stand in front of her, "absolutely beautiful."

"You don't think it's a bit too formal?"

Jacob shook his head, taking in every inch of her. "That's the least of my concerns. I don't know how I feel about other men looking at you."

Jo scoffed, slapping her hand against his arm. "Speak for yourself, sir. I noticed how those women were eying you when we were at the Space Needle today."

Jacob smirked. "Really?"

"Don't tell me that you didn't notice."

"Jo, you know that my eyes are always on you," Jacob said, his voice thick with lust. "Wherever you go."

Jo smiled coyly, reached up and adjusted the knot of his tie just beneath his neck. Jacob lifted his chin slightly, but kept his eyes on her face as she tugged on the tie. Finally satisfied, she rested the palm of her hands on his chest, feeling his heart beating beneath her fingers. Jo looked back up at Jacob, seeing that in fact, his eyes were still resting on her.

He reached out with his left hand and brushed his fingers against her cheek, before pushing the dark curls off her bare shoulder. It had been a while since she had left her hair down. Jacob didn't realize how much he missed seeing it like that.

Without saying a word, he leaned in and rested his lips against her own, hearing her quick intake of a breath with the contact and her heart begin to race. Jacob felt her hands slide up from his chest to his neck, his own heart beat picking up speed just as his stomach rebelled and growled aloud.

With a smirk, Jo broke the kiss and stared into his eyes.

"Jake, we have a reservation," she breathed out.

"We do," Jacob agreed softly, as he rested his forehead against hers, finding their height with her shoes on to be nearly equal.

"But...promise we'll return here...to this...you and me," Jo said, as Jacob smirked, knowing exactly what she was meaning.

He nodded, cursing his stomach's untimely interruption.

"Food first."

* * *

Three hours.

That's all that he was going to give himself that night at the party. After all, Nate wasn't going to push his luck. There was no way that he was going to tell Charlie and Sue where he was going. There was no doubt in his mind that they wouldn't agree to allowing him to go. So when Ryan and Jonah suddenly showed up at their door after dinner, Nate made up the quick excuse that they had planned on heading into Forks for the fair. He knew that Charlie and Sue wouldn't mind him going to the fair and in fact, Charlie discreetly passed Nate a ten dollar bill, telling him to have fun that evening. It made him feel all the more sick to his stomach about deceiving his Aunt and Uncle.

But that feeling soon passed the moment Ryan pulled the rickety old truck along a deserted path in the woods. They had passed at least a dozen cars lining the road and opted for a more discreet place to park. The sound of music and laughter could be heard the moment they opened the truck doors.

The boys walked along the worn dirt path, until they came to a small clearing in the woods near the edge of the cliffs. The fresh scent of the ocean water along with the sound of the waves crashing against the rocks below echoed up at them. A few toppled trees had been dragged towards the clearing and were being used as benches. A bunch of people sat along them; some of whom Nate recognized from school while others he assumed were from Forks. It was easy to figure out who were the locals and who were from Forks. But at the party, it seemed that the groups mixed. A large crowd of at least thirty people danced and grinded to the heavy bass music that became unrecognizable except for the bass.

There seemed to be people everywhere.

Music pumped from the small mp3 player and numerous coolers lined up near the base of a tree while a large fire crackled in the middle of the clearing. If anyone recongized the three boys as not being seniors, no one said anything. It was obvious that a good number of the kids were either too drunk or high to notice. The scent of cigarettes mingled with as a hint of pot moved through the woods.

Nate turned to Ryan to see that he had already moved off and was talking to some girls from Forks. They all wore bikini tops and shorts, and most had some sort of glowing jewelry. He heard them giggle as Ryan said something as they passed him an open bottle of vodka. With a smirk, he rushed back over to Nate and Jonah, wrapping his arms around either of their necks, dragging them towards the girls.

"This is my cousin that I was telling you about," Ryan said loudly over the music, gesturing to Nate, "and my good friend, Jonah."

"Would your cousin have a name?" One of the girls asked Ryan, watching Nate as she twirled a colourful play necklace around her fingers.

Suddenly feeling a bit awkward, Nate put out his hand.

"Nate Black."

The girl chuckled, taking his hand. "Abigail Hayes."

Ryan introduced the friends around her, including some other kids at the party whom Abigail went to school with in Forks.

"So, you guys live on the Rez?" One of the girls asked.

Jonah nodded as Ryan passed him his bottle of vodka. He took a quick swig of it before clearing his throat, feeling the burn go down his throat.

Time seemed to slip further away from them and Nate soon found himself sitting on the ground, his back against a log with his feet outstretched toward the crackling fire. Every so often, he could see Ryan dancing with a girl who seemed to find it enjoyable to grind against him while Jonah sat nearby, whispering in a blonde's ear who giggled at whatever he had told her.

"You look like you need some company," a voice slurred loudly over the music, as a bottle appeared in front of his face. With a smirk, Nate took it and looked up to see Abigail as she sat down beside him.

"Are you not the party type?"

"Oh, I am. I'm just not the crowd type," he replied with a chuckle, gesturing to the large group of people dancing in the darkness, the glow sticks and jewelry moving in the night.

She nudged him in the side and smiled. "Me neither. Actually, it was my sister who insisted I come with her. I'm glad that I decided to come though. I got to meet you."

Nate turned and smiled.

"So, you're a senior from Forks?"

Abigail smirked and shook her head, putting a drunken finger to her lips. "Don't tell anyone but I just finished my junior year in Forks. My sister is the senior."

Nate smiled knowingly. "Is that so?"

Abigail nodded before Nate elbowed her playfully and leaned in towards her to whisper.

"I just finished my junior year at the tribal school."

This time Abigail laughed. "No way! So how did you hear about this party?"

"My cousin, he overheard someone in town talking about it."

Abigail suddenly gasped aloud before quickly turning to Nate.

"Oh my god! I love this song!"

Nate chuckled at her exuberance before she staggered to her feet. Abigail reached forward and grabbed Nate's hands.

"Dance with me!"

Nate smiled and laughed nervously as he shook his head.

"I really can't dance."

"Who cares!? Neither can I."

With a sigh, he stood up before Abigail began to attempt to pull him to his feet. Wanting to spend more time with Abigail, he followed her towards the crowd. She shouted excitedly before starting to dance, running her hands down Nate's arms before turning in front of him. Nate danced, finding that despite how awkward he felt doing it, it seemed that there were some kids who were even more uncoordinated than him. He laughed, finding he was having a pretty good time.

When the song finally ended, she turned back around and grabbed his hand, pulling Nate towards a darker area of the clearing. Abigail stopped abruptly before quickly wrapping her arms around Nate's neck, catching him off guard before leaning forward to kiss his neck.

"A...Abigail," Nate began, his voice weak as he soon found that he was enjoying the sensation but at the same time he knew that she was very much drunk. It just didn't feel right to him. "What are you doing?"

"What do you think I'm doing?" She chuckled into his ear, before sucking on his earlob and then kissing his cheek.

"I don't really know you," Nate told her, feeling her brush her hands through his hair "And you're drunk."

"Then maybe you should get drunk too and join me," she whispered. "It feels great and you're so gorgeous."

Before Nate could say another word, Abigail leaned in and kissed him on his lips, humming in delight before wrapping her arms around his neck.

Nate struggled slightly before reaching around his neck to pry Abigail's arms from around him.

The expression on her face when she looked up at him wasn't hurt but simply confusion.

"Abigail, we can't," Nate told her breathlessly, holding her wrists within each of his hands. "We just met."

"But it feels so right," she slurred drunkenly. "It's like we're made for each other."

"We don't know anything about each other."

"It doesn't matter. Don't you believe in love at first sight? Or soul mates?"

Nate stumbled over his words, not wanting to hurt her feelings but at the same time, he was wanting to be honest.

He winced.

"Not really."

Abigail pouted dramatically before he continued.

"But...we could get to know each other, preferably sober."

Abigail smiled broadly.

"Maybe I'll see you around Forks sometime?" Nate suggested, as Abigail nodded.

"I can give you my number," she told him excitedly, reaching into her pocket to pull out a pen.

Nate nodded as Abigail reached for his hand. She turned his palm over and quickly scribbled on his hand.

When a commotion in the woods behind them caught their attention, Nate turned around to see a bunch of people dropping bottles on the ground and running into the dense forest.

"Damn it," Abigail cursed as she grabbed Nate by the hand.

All around them, it seemed as though the crowd was dispersing quickly. Some stumbled, while others ran full tilt, pushing past them.

"What's going on?!"

"Cops!" She told him, causing him to begin to run when he suddenly came to a stop, instantly searching for Ryan and Jonah.

"What are you doing? Come on! We gotta get out of here!"

"Have you seen Ryan or Jonah?"

Abigail shook her head, pulling on Nate's hand, wanting him to come with her. Instead, he shook his head.

"They probably went back to Ryan's truck," he said, letting go of her hand. "I'll call you sometime."

Abigail nodded weakly before turning to run in a different direction. Nate sighed and quickly pushed through the brush towards where Ryan's truck had been parked.

The woods were deathly silent as the wind blew threw them. When a sudden crack of a branch snapped behind him, he turned sharply, eyeing the woods carefully but seeing nothing. He could feel his heart begin to race.

It had been years since he spent anytime alone in the forest; he avoided being alone in the woods. Memories of that scary day many years ago when he, Ryan, Talon and Liz had ventured into the forest came back to him. He remembered the strange blonde woman, her red eyes and the unquenchable fear that she enlisted with him just by looking at them. The boys had asked their parents questions about the unexplained circumstances that occured; many of which kept both of them up with nightmares for weeks. Ryan still hated heights even after all these years. It was much of the same for Liz, who developed a very real fear of dogs after seeing what she believed was a huge wolf in the woods. While their parents tried to explain what they had experienced and seen, none of it made much sense. It seemed impossible to hallucinate everything or to have been drugged in order to imagine what they had seen. But thankfully, as seven year old children, they were eager to believe in anything but the truth and they in fact, believed the stories their parents told them.

Now, ten years later, Nate wondered how much of it was truth. Regardless of circumstances, something traumatic did happen and it had left lasting impressions on them which obviously carried on within them as teenagers.

"It's just the wind," he reminded himself as he turned back and continued his fast-paced walk towards Ryan's truck. "It's just the wind."

Nate could feel his breathing increase and he felt his jean pockets, hoping that he had packed his inhaler in the event that he couldn't slow it down.

For a moment, he thought that he took a wrong turn when a hand grabbed his arm. Nate quickly turned, jumping and gasping in surprise to find that it was just Jonah who was holding Ryan upright against a tree.

Jonah jumped as much as Nate from his reaction to his touch.

"Oh shit! Jonah?!" He paused, taking a deep breath. "You nearly scared the crap out of me!"

"Man, where have you been!?" Jonah exclaimed softly, before looking over at Ryan who waved drunkenly. "I've had to haul his sorry ass through the woods when we heard that the police were in the area."

"Sorry," Nate said, feeling his breathing relax somewhat before he looked at Ryan in concern. "What's wrong with him?"

"What do you think? The guy is piss drunk," Jonah said with a sigh. "I can't believe two bottles rendered him like this and I was fine."

Nate winced. "So am I."

Jonah scoffed. "We're the lucky ones I guess. Poor guy will probably not remember any of this night."

Nate moved around to the otherside of Ryan and put his arm under him to help Jonah partially drag him towards his truck.

"Have you seen the cops?"

Jonah shook his head. "They probably walked to the cliffs from the main road."

As they moved further through the woods towards the worn path, the truck came into view. They paused for a moment while Jonah reached into Ryan's pockets to pull out his keys. He gestured to Nate to hold Ryan upright while he unlocked the drivers side door.

"Here, help me get him in the car," Nate said, grunting as he half dragged and walked Ryan around the front of the truck to the passenger side.

"I'm fine," Ryan argued, his words horribly slurred as he struggled in Nate's grip.

"You certainly are not fine!"

Jonah raced around to help but came to a stop as they made their way towards the door.

"Hold up!" Jonah exclaimed, just as Ryan threw up on the ground.

Nate winced, disgusted and also thankful that it didn't happen inside the cab of the truck.

He leaned against the side of the truck, watching as Ryan emptied his stomach until he was heaving.

"You're gonna have to drive," Jonah suggested, considering he didn't have his license.

"That's fine," Nate grumbled, holding out his hand as Jonah passed him the keys. "I just don't know how we're going to get him past Uncle Paul and Aunt Rachel like this."

"I suppose we can say that he rode the Zipper at the fair one too many times."

When a sudden flashlight coming from the woods shone on the boys, Nate gasped in surprise and turned towards the light just as Jonah had. Ryan was completely out of it and simply sat on the ground, leaning his head against the side of the truck.

It took a few seconds as the police officer approached the boys.

"Fine mess you guys have gotten yourself into."

Nate's heart sank as he recognized the voice.

Seth Clearwater.

* * *

 _ **A/N - Surprise! I updated much earlier than expected! Basically I broke this next chapter into two parts because it was bordering on 8000 words. Part two should be up by Saturday...could be earlier with some nice reviews. ;)**_

 _ **Yes, things are starting to build...Next chapter should be interesting...some twists are coming.**_

 _ **I hope you all enjoy them.**_

 _ **Please review!**_


	12. Chapter 12

Working the evening shift at Forks Sheriff's department was never the highlight of Seth's week. Being that he was still considered the 'new guy', he ended up with the worst shifts. But at the same time, it gave him opportunity to be at home with his family during the day. Seth enjoyed the police work and found that his small contribution to the community was fulfilling. Although their jurisdiction ended at the border of La Push, there were times when their assistance was needed in the petty thefts and illegal dumping on reservation land and the elders permitted and welcomed the Sheriff's departments assistance. It helped that Chief Swan lived on the border of the tribal land. Seth hoped that perhaps sometime in the future, he'd be able to officially begin a small police service within the reservation, but until then, he was gaining experience under Charlie's watch.

When he suddenly got a phone call on his cell that night while driving around Forks, he was surprised to see Quil's number show up. He was even more surprised to hear what his friend had come across in the woods of La Push.

Quil was still occasionally running patrols within La Push and obviously had discovered the illegal trespassing and the party that was occuring at the top of the cliffs. What shocked him more was to hear about the three boys which Quil's wolf had scented and recognized at that party.

Not wanting to make the call to Charlie just yet, Seth decided to take a quick trip out that way. It wasn't long before the presence of a police cruiser by the road was announced and the partygoers scattered, leaving a trail of garbage and a fire left unattended.

Sensing that the three boys were still nearby, Seth followed the scent that his inner wolf was currently attuned to. The strong smell of alcohol and weed seemed to be intermixed with them and angered him. It wasn't until he caught sight of Ryan throwing up beside the truck that he turned on his flash light, instantly frightening the boys.

"Uncle Seth?" Nate asked, his voice showing relief rather than fear. That emotion didn't last long.

Concerned for Ryan as he was heaving on the ground, Seth made his way over to them, shining the light on their faces.

"You guys were out here partying? Drinking too, huh?"

He didn't need to know their answer. Seth could smell it long before they saw him. He could feel himself getting angry, frustrated and disappointed all at once.

"How much?!"

Nate nervously looked to Jonah who stared right back at him. He had never heard Seth raise his voice to anyone in his life. For a guy who was soft-hearted and fun to be around, Seth suddenly became downright scary.

"Just a few bottles," Nate replied softly.

"Were you smoking weed too?!"

The boys instantly defended themselves, knowing the severity of being caught with pot on the reservation.

"What? No!"

Seth sighed, bitterly.

"Really?! Don't lie to me, cause you guys smell like it! Do you have it on you too?"

The boys shook their heads adamantly, but unfortunately given the circumstances, Seth wasn't willing to believe them.

Seth walked towards them, shining the light on each of their faces, seeing how green Ryan appeared to be. The smell simply became stronger and Seth found himself having to clear his throat over the intensity. His keen sense of smell came in handy in his line of work but when it was overpowering, it was nearly nauseating.

He looked them all in their eyes, searching not only for signs of redness but also for any deception.

"Empty your pockets," he ordered them, gesturing to the hood of the truck.

With a sigh, each of them slowly began pulling out the contents of their pockets. Loose change, gum, wallets, keys, small pieces of paper, reciepts and a folded photograph were placed on the hood.

"Is that it?" Seth asked, when Nate and then Jonah followed by a sluggish Ryan backed away from the hood of the truck.

The boys nodded.

Seth walked forward and skimmed through the contents, stopping when his light moved over the photograph. He picked it up and unfolded it, surprised to see the familiar faces looking back at him.

He turned around, still shining the light on the photograph in his hand.

"Where did you get this?"

"My grandpa's garage," Nate replied, shoving his hands into his pockets.

Seth looked at it once again, knowing how many memories it held of a time before Jacob's teenage years suddenly came to abrupt end. It was the same for all of them; Jared, Paul, Sam, Embry, Quil, Leah and himself. There was no time for fun and they suddenly had bigger responsibility than to themselves. As much as it was an honour, for some, it also became a burden. Some lost more than just their teenage years.

His eyes didn't want to look at the brown haired girl who leaned carefree into Jacob's side. That was no longer the Bella that he knew. For as much as Jacob changed and grew up from the image in his hand, Bella changed but would forever remain a frozen memory. She no longer looked like the rosy-cheeked girl that spent weeks with Jacob rebuilding a pair of motorcycles and who had settled into his heart before abruptly ripping it out. Knowing that allowing it to stay in the possession of Jacob's son would simply raise questions, he put it in his pocket along with the truck keys and the receipt.

"Do you boys realize how much trouble you all are in?!"

Nate opened his mouth to speak but instead, Seth turned on his heel, obviously quite angry.

"I don't want to hear it! Grab your wallets and follow me!" He growled, his tone scaring both Nate and Jonah.

"But Lahote's truck..."

"When Ryan sobers up I'm sure that his Dad will have him take care of it."

Seth could only imagine how angry Paul would be when he heard about what his son was doing. The last thing that Paul ever wanted was to have any of his children behave as he had when he was younger. He had changed for the better yet he still had that temper, one that Ryan was undoubtedly going to be recipient of when he finally returned home.

But before he could do that, Seth had the disappointing opportunity to bring the boys to the police department to figure out what he was going to do first. He couldn't even look at them as they crawled into the backseat of his cruiser with Ryan resting his face against the side window, finding the coolness did wonders for his nausea. Seth slammed the door behind them, climbed into the front seat and pressed on the gas, squealing the tires the moment they hit the pavement.

No one said a word the entire way into Forks, nor as the three boys followed Seth dismally into the station.

"Take a seat," Seth grumbled, while the three boys sat in the uncomfortable plastic chairs against the wall. Grabbing an empty waste basket from beside his desk, Seth shoved it towards Ryan.

"Puke on my floor and you're cleaning it up yourself no matter how hungover you are."

Ryan looked up weakly at Seth and nodded. "Yes, sir."

Seth left them to themselves in the quiet station before going behind the glass wall into Charlie's office. The boys watched in silence as Seth made a long phone call. Based on his body language and the number of times he ran his hand through his hair and over his face, the three boys could only guess whom he had been talking to. It wasn't long before they got their answer and Charlie Swan walked through the door.

He paused and stared at each and every one of boys, finding that none of them were eager to make eye contact. Charlie shook his head when his eyes fell on Nate before he walked past them towards his office where Seth was sitting, writing up what seemed to be paper work from his evening.

Charlie sighed once the door was closed behind him, closing them off to any listening ears from the outside area.

"What the hell were those boys thinking?" Charlie spat angrily, sitting down before glancing out at the three teenagers sitting silently in the empty common area.

"Of all days for Nate to pull as stunt like this, Jake and Jo aren't even around to take care of this shit."

"They're lucky we can't even charge them. They wont have to worry about this being on their record."

That was one relief for all involved. Being that everything occured on La Push land and that it was out of Fork's jurisdiction, they were unable to officially charge the boys. But the elders could certainly charge a penalty of their own and Charlie was certain that they would.

"Do you want me to call Billy?"

Charlie shook his head. "I already did, on my way over here. I needed someone to talk to so I didn't blow up the moment I walked in here."

"Does Mom know?"

Charlie shook his head and sighed.

"She knows that the boys are in trouble and that you had to pick them up. I didn't get a chance to tell Sue the details before I left. Billy was going to give her and Old Quil a call to discuss what they were going to do and then meet with the boys tomorrow evening after Jake and Jo get home."

Seth scoffed. "I can imagine that Jake is going to freak when he hears about this."

"I wouldn't blame him," Charlie said. "But I'm gonna wait until tomorrow to give Jake a call. It's not like them coming home in the middle of the night is going to do any good."

Seth looked out the window to where the boys sat against the wall.

Jonah had tears in his eyes and played with his fingers while Ryan sat beside him, leaning over the bucket that was wedged between his knees. Nate looked at the floor, his hair falling over his eyes.

"So, what's the plan with these three?"

"As tempted as I am to have them stay a few hours behind bars tonight to put the fear of God in them, I'll bring them home. I'm sure their folks will do a good enough job."

"You're gonna want Ryan to bring that bucket with him," Seth warned, glancing with a wince towards where Ryan once again threw up in the garbage pail.

Charlie winced and nodded before opening the door. "Thanks for the warning."

* * *

Sitting in the back of Charlie's police cruiser as they drove into La Push felt like they were being condemned long before they even reached their destination. No one said a word, yet by the direction Charlie was heading, it was obvious that they were going towards the Cameron's place first. They passed by the darkened gas pumps that they owned on the reservation and pulled into the house beside it.

Nate watched as Charlie walked up the front steps with Jonah at his side before they rang the doorbell. When the door opened, it was obvious by Kim's expression and then by Jared's sudden appearance at the doorway that Jonah was going to be in trouble. Jared reached out and grabbed Jonah by the back of the neck, pulling him into the house while Kim spoke a few more words with Charlie before the chief headed back to the cruiser.

It was much of the same when he dropped Ryan off at his house. The only difference was that Nate could hear his Uncle Paul shouting and he could see the angry scowl on his Uncle's face as Ryan walked into the house, his head hung low.

Fully expecting that they would be heading back to the Swan's house, Nate was surprised when they turned a different direction. It didn't take long before he realized where Charlie was heading - Billy Black's house.

The moment they pulled up, the porch light turned on and the front door was open long before Nate climbed out of the backseat. Knowing that his grandfather was sitting in that doorway, Nate kept his eyes on the ground as he walked up to the porch, stopping at the bottom of the steps with Charlie at his side. Nate heard the wheelchair move forward on the old porch before Billy cleared his throat, causing Nate to feel compelled to look up at him.

The disappointment on his face was obvious and in fact, had more of an effect on him than any yelling could ever do.

"I told Charlie to bring you over here before he brought you back to his place for the night," Billy said softly.

"Grandpa, I..."

"No," Billy snapped, firmly. "Nathaneal William Black, you will not speak until I tell you to."

Billy sighed, clasping his hands together, reigning in his anger.

"You have put me into a tough position," he told him. "Not only am I your Chief, but I'm also your grandfather. As your Chief, I must inform you that the elders have been discussing an appropriate punishment for your actions and those of Ryan and Jonah. You three disobeyed our laws and disgraced our land, both of which you should be old enough to know are not permissible."

Billy paused and looked down at his hands before turning his attention back to Nate.

"And as your grandfather, I'm very disappointed in you."

Charlie walked up beside Billy and turned to Nate.

"Nate, you blatantly lied to me, right to my face," Charlie said sternly, his face reflecting the anguish of that knowledge. "Your Aunt Sue and I trusted you and you defyed your parents when it came to assuring them that you would obey us while you were staying in our home."

"I'm sure your folks will have their own piece to say when they get home tomorrow, but as for myself and your grandpa here, we've decided that not only are you going to have to earn our trust once again but you're going to be doing yard and outside work for the entire summer, both here at your grandpa's and at my place."

Billy nodded.

"That includes cutting the grass with the push mower, chopping wood for the winter, cleaning up the brush on the property, painting the porch, trimming bushes..."

As the list grew longer and longer, Nate shook his head.

"But I'm wor..." Nate interrupted before pausing abruptly after seeing Billy's stern gaze. The teenager looked back down at the ground, still feeling the anger on his grandfather's face as he undoubtedly stared at him.

"I'm sure that you'll be able to squeeze the extra work in," Charlie assured him. "I highly doubt your parents are going to be giving you any free time when they get home."

Billy sighed and nodded.

"So starting tomorrow morning, you'll be here, working."

Nate looked up quickly, realizing something when his grandpa mentioned 'tomorrow morning'.

"Which means, that you wont be coming with us fishing."

Nate sighed audibly and kept his head down.

"If you have something worth saying, you can go ahead and say it," Billy told him.

Instead of speaking, Nate simply shook his head and let out a deep breath.

Charlie looked over at Billy.

"So I guess we'll see you in the morning then, Billy," Charlie said softly, extending his hand to his friend.

Billy watched Nate and nodded to Charlie. "Right you are. Get a good rest, Chief."

When they had finally returned back to the Swan's house, Sue was still awake. The rest of the house was covered in darkness and silence except for a single lamp in the living room where Sue sat, waiting. She had gone through moments of anger to disappointment while she waited for Charlie to return with Nate. When they walked through the door, she didn't say a word; in fact, she didn't know what to say that probably hadn't already been said to the teenager. Instead, she watched as he walked upstairs and closed the door to the guest room he shared with his brother, Liam.

Charlie sighed, closing the door behind him.

"So, it's true," she stated rather than questioned. "He was out by the cliffs, drinking with Jonah and Ryan."

Charlie nodded, walking towards her. "There was slew of kids out there I guess, but Seth managed to round up those three."

"And Jake and Jo don't know yet?"

He shook his head, taking her hand. "I'll call them first thing in the morning."

Charlie sighed and looked down at the ground before Sue brushed her fingers against his cheek.

"You should get some rest," she told him, with a hint of a smile. "You look exhausted."

He chuckled and nodded, wrapping his arm around Sue's shoulder as they made their way towards the stairs.

"I think that kid just aged me by ten years in one night."

* * *

The early morning in Washington had always been Billy's favourite time of day. Even from a young age, he was always an early riser and spent those fresh, summer mornings fishing with his Dad. It came as no surprise that it carried on with him throughout the years, as he continue that tradition with his own children and eventually, his grandkids.

Unfortunately, given the circumstances of the evening prior, it would only be him, Charlie and Old Quil who would be fishing on the lake.

Charlie was unusually silent and it didn't take much to realize why he was quieter than his normal self. Disappointment still hung in the air, even after fishing for four hours as he cast his line into the water again.

"The boy must learn responsibilty, just as Jacob had," Old Quil said in his raspy voice, breaking the silence in the boat. "You did the right thing."

"Then, why do I think that I was too hard on the kid?" Charlie asked aloud, slowly turning his reel, bringing his line in.

Billy smirked. "Don't worry about it Charlie. Later on today, when Jake and Jo return home, they'll take care of it on their end."

Charlie sighed. "I'm getting too old to be dealing with teenagers again. Bella gave me enough of a run for my money when she left the country without telling me. At least with her, I never had to deal with her going to parties and getting into trouble. She was never that type to like that sort of thing."

The conversation died down with the mention of Bella. It had been a while since Charlie had even mentioned her and it had caught both Billy and Old Quil off guard. They had always skirted around the topic whenever someone would talk of Charlie's missing daughter. Although they knew that she was alive and well and was living somewhere near Italy, from what Jacob had told the elders following the Cullen's departure from Forks a year after Nate was born, Charlie had spent over a decade into searching for her until he simply gave up hope. He could never know the truth and as much as it hurt his best friends to keep that knowledge from him, Old Quil and Billy knew that it was for the best.

Billy cleared his throat, eager to change the subject for his friend's benefit.

"Heard back from Jake yet?"

Charlie shook his head, reaching over the side of the boat to grab his line to hook it safely to the line guide . "Not yet. I'm guessing they're still asleep. I left a message for him before we left to call me when they get up."

He paused and looked at his watch. It was nearly 11am and based on how many fish they had caught within the past hour, they knew that they were no longer biting and the trip was essentially over. Old Quil and Billy agreed and pulled in their lines while Charlie started up the boat engine to head back to the dock.

No one was around the docks, so after switching with Billy, Charlie rushed forward after cutting the engine to prevent the boat from bumping into the side of the dock. Although Billy could steer it in for him, neither he or Old Quil would be able to handle the physical demands of jumping up onto the dock with the rope to pull the boat alongside.

Knowing that it would take them closer to twenty minutes to empty out the boat of their supplies, fish and leftover snacks that Sue had packed for the trip, Charlie insisted that both Billy and Old Quil wait beneath a tree by the water's edge. After all, he could see how the sun had taken its toll on Old Quil that day. There were some days that he had to remind himself that Old Quil was in his late-eighties. So, while they rested out of the sun, Charlie pulled the truck up near the end of the dock and began making the trips back and forth to the boat.

"I think we all will be taking a good long nap this afternoon when we get back," Billy said, with a smile before glancing over at Old Quil.

While Billy was facing out towards the lake and the boat that Charlie was emptying, Old Quil had his attention at the woods along the waters edge.

"Quil? Are you all right?"

Old Quil opened his mouth to talk before shaking his head, slightly confused.

"Something doesn't feel right," he rasped.

Billy knew well enough to trust the old man's instincts. He seemed to be as connected to the land as much as the spirit warriors of their tribe. Years ago, he was the one who had sensed that Sam Uley would be phasing longe before it happened, even though shape shifters hadn't been seen in generations. Harry Clearwater used to joke that if Old Quil was seventy years younger, he would've phased right along side the current pack.

"What do you mean?"

"I...I don't know...I can't explain it..."

Suddenly, his eyes widened before he turned to Billy, grasping the younger man's hand tightly.

"We need to get back to La Push, now."

"What? What's wrong?"

"Vampire."

* * *

 ** _A/N - 3 chapters in less than a week! I think it's safe to say, I'm on a roll and things are about to get rough. I hope you guys are enjoying this. I've been busy writing and I'd love to hear what you all think so far. Thanks to the reviews that I have gotten...I'd love to read more, as I know there are a lot more readers than there are reviews. Yes, I live off of reviews...I'll admit it. ;)_**

 ** _Next part is coming shortly...and I can certainly get it out before the weekend with enough love. :)_**


	13. Chapter 13

Old Quil's warning sent a chill down Billy's back. His own eyes scanned the tree line where Old Quil had been looking, seeing the trees wave in the breeze brought up by the wind off the lake.

Nothing.

But at the same time, Billy knew there was always more than meets the eye.

Deciding they should heed the warning, Billy unlocked his chair and turned to follow Old Quil towards the truck when a man seemed to materialize out of nowhere and grab Old Quil by the throat, lifting him clear off the ground. Before Billy could even react, he watched as the man leaned forward and took a deep breath.

Scowling at the scent, he quickly tossed Old Quil aside, knocking the old man into the tree. Billy watched in horror as Old Quil's body crumpled to the ground.

Out on the docks, Charlie had climbed out of the boat just as his old friend was being tossed into the tree. In shock, the cooler in his arms dropped to his feet.

"What the hell?" He breathed before jumping over the cooler and running down the long dock, whilst the vampire reached for Billy, pulling him straight up out of his chair by his neck, before kicking the contraption into the lake behind them. Billy instinctively grabbed ahold of the vampire's arm, feeling the cold skin against his palms.

The vampire breathed in and smiled wickedly, his red eyes piercing as the mid-day sun glistened over his diamond-hard skin.

"It's you. You share the same bloodline as that of the Alpha's child. I can smell it," he said, before leaning in forward, ignoring Charlie's shouting as he raced towards Billy. "You are close to him. Grandfather, perhaps?"

Seeing the minute reaction to his words in Billy's eyes even as he struggled within his grasp, the vampire knew that he was right in his assumption. He smiled, his sparkling white teeth shining in the light.

"I searched for the child, but there was no scent in the area where Aro said that matched the unique one that he had encountered years ago," the vampire told him. "Where is the child?"

Billy winced, having no inclination to answer the vampire when he heard Charlie shouting.

"Get the hell away from him!" Charlie exclaimed, instinctively going for his gun at his hip, and cursed inwardly when he realized that he was unarmed. Seeing the strange red eyes and the sudden fear that the odd man invoked within him, Charlie stopped short and held out his hands, fearful at what this man would do to Billy if he came too close.

His eyes darted over towards Old Quil, instantly concerned not only for his obviously injured friend but for Billy as well.

Slowly Charlie reached into his back pocket, pulling out his wallet.

"Hey! If it's money you're after, here, take it and get the hell out of here!"

Charlie tossed his wallet at the vampire's feet causing the creature to chuckle before he scoffed, the sound melodic to their ears.

"You humans and your desire for monetary gains," he quipped with a smirk, glancing at Charlie before turning back to Billy.

"Aro desires only one thing - the child, your grandson. And I am to bring him back to Voltura with the instruction that nothing and no one should stand in my way...including old, frail humans."

"Go to hell," Billy sneered, as he gasped. "I will not let him kill my grandson!"

"I've seen Aro's memories and thoughts. He has much bigger plans for the child than to simply kill him. Your grandson will have the honour of spending his life as service to the Volturi. You will simply lead me to him."

"Seriously pal, you're either confused or deluded!" Charlie exclaimed nervously, gaining the vampire's attention. "There is no way in hell that you or whoever this..Volturi person or Aro is, is getting anywhere near any of the kids."

The vampire's eyes widened in pleasant surprise, looking from Charlie to Billy. "So, there is more than one now? Aro will be pleased to hear that the wolves have reproduced. But for now, he is only wanting the Alpha's oldest son."

From Charlie's perspective, the man casually holding Billy with his feet off the ground was clearly on drugs. Nothing that the man had said made any sense and Charlie also knew how dangerous the situation could become.

"We don't know what the hell you're talking about!" Charlie shouted. "If you could just put him down, we could talk about it."

The vampire smirked at Charlie and gestured to Billy.

"Your friend here knows a lot more than he's obviously told you. Blood doesn't lie. I can smell it and it proves enough to me that he is directly related to the child that I'm looking for, the Alpha's firstborn and this human will tell me where he is!"

"Never," Billy said bitterly, through clenched teeth.

Before either man could even realize what was happening, they heard the sudden sound of ripping fabric. Charlie then felt wetness before extreme pain suddenly radiate from across his abdomen. He looked down in utter shock and disbelief.

Blood dripped from between the shredded pieces of fabric that was once his shirt. Three large gashes spread across his abdomen from his rips to his opposite hip. Charlie staggered back, pressing his hands to his stomach while his eyes still could not comprehend what had just happened before he tripped and landed on his backside. He moaned, yet the pain from his abdomen masked that from his back before he looked up at his fingers, seeing the crimson blood staining them.

"You son of a bitch!" Billy exclaimed as he tried to frantically pull at the creature's hand. Tears came to his eyes at what he had just witnessed Charlie endure. He could still hear Charlie gasping and moaning in pain from where he laid on the ground.

"That was on you!" The vampire shouted at him. "If you're not going to cooperate and tell me where the child is, then I will kill him and every person that you care about until I get the child!"

The vampire inhaled, a smile coming to his lips.

"On second thought, I'm suddenly thirsty. I may have to kill your friend anyways," he told him, looking towards Charlie on the ground, covered in blood and gasping in pain. The vampire glanced back at Billy, seeing the blue tinge to the man's lips and the tears in his eyes.

"And then, you will help me because no one will stop me from getting what Aro wants, not even the loyalty of a grandfather. But as a service to you, I will make it so that you wont even remember how you betrayed your family."

Leaving Billy to consider his words, the vampire suddenly leaned in, breathing into Billy's face.

"Starting now, you will forget what has transpired here, our conversation and then that you even assisted me in finding the child before I kill you."

Billy's expression of fear and anguish suddenly became calm before the vampire let go of his neck, the lack of use of his legs causing Billy to instantly collapse to the ground.

He landed on his side, the side of head cracking off the stones before he rolled his body over. Pain suddenly shot through his head. Billy leaned up on his elbow and gently touched his head, confused as to what had just happened.

"What the hell?" Billy moaned, feeling the wetness at his hairline, just above his temple, before noticing that his wheelchair was sitting just in the water.

The last thing he could remember was sitting in the boat, out on the lake. He had no memory of coming ashore or how his wheelchair came to be sitting in the water and he, laying on the ground. Billy looked at his fingers, seeing the blood and realized that he must have fallen out of his chair and hit his head on the ground somewhere along the line.

When he suddenly heard painful moaning, Billy looked over in shock to see Charlie laying on his back a few feet away and a vampire standing over him.

"Oh my god," he breathed, fearfully. "Charlie..."

Charlie seemed to have heard Billy's voice and opened his eyes, but found that the same man who, only moments ago had been holding Billy off his feet and was somehow able to tear through flesh with his bare fingers, was suddenly standing over him. As overwhelming as the pain was, it was only surmounted by the fear that he felt.

He watched as the odd man crouched down, and trailed his finger painfully along one of the gashes, before he brought it to his mouth. Charlie felt his stomach turn as the man licked the blood from his finger.

"I think I..." the man begun before his expression change and he suddenly looked off into the distance. For the first time, fear crossed his features. "Shit."

In the blink of an eye, the man disappeared before Charlie felt the sudden warm updraft of something moving swiftly past them. Whatever it was, caused Charlie to gasp in what little relief being out of the presense of the strange man gave.

Billy knew what it was. Or moreso, who it was.

He could barely make out its features as it raced past them, but he knew without a doubt that it was Quil. As confused as Billy was as to how Quil knew what had happened, he was more concerned for Charlie.

As quickly as he could, Billy dragged himself along the ground with his forearms, slowly making his way to his friend. Billy nearly threw up when he saw the blood that stained Charlie's torso.

"Charlie!? Oh my god! What...what happened?"

Charlie looked up at him, meeting his eyes and scoffed as he trembled. "You t...t...tell me. This feels l..l...like some horror movie."

Billy reached onto Charlie's abdomen as best as he could with his hands, desperate to stop the blood flow. In reaction to his touch, Charlie cried out in pain.

It didn't look good. In the few seconds that Billy pressed his hands to Charlie's stomach, they were already stained in blood. It simply wasn't working well enough to stop the blood. Glancing back at Charlie's face, he noticed that his friend had closed his eyes.

A cold fear shot through Billy.

"Hey! It's not time for you to be checking out, old man!" Billy shouted desperately, shaking Charlie's shoulder, startling him into opening his eyes once again.

Billy sighed deeply in relief as Charlie nodded silently before his eyes widened slightly at what he saw approaching them from behind Billy.

"Oh sh...sh...shit..I better as hell be ha...hallucinating."

Billy looked over his shoulder, seeing the large wolf slowly walk up beside where old Old Quil lay, whimpering before he nudged the man in the side with his nose. He couldn't help but feel a pit grow in his stomach as Quil stood over his grandfather. It obviously wasn't good. Nevertheless, Billy needed Quil's help if Charlie was going to make it. He wasn't going to loose two friends in one day.

"Quil!" Billy exclaimed desperately, calling the wolf by name despite the fact that Charlie would see him. "I need your help over here!"

As much as their tribal secrets had remained as that, this was a dire circumstance. Secrets be damned. Charlie's life was at stake and there was no way in Billy's mind that the tribal secrets would outweigh his best friends life.

Quil looked solemnly from his grandfather's lifeless body towards Billy and then back down again, whimpering once more before moving over to where Billy was.

With wide eyes, Charlie watched as the huge wolf leapt towards them and within a shimmer, Quil suddenly appeared, naked and on two legs before he quickly came up behind Billy.

"Oh my god!" Quil exclaimed, tears in his eyes as he stood in near shock at the sight in front of him before his hands turned into fists. "Did the bloodsucker do this too?"

Quil had killed countless vampires in his lifetime, witnessed the birth of his own daughter, but nothing prepared him for the sight of seeing a man who had become a close friend of the family, laying in his own blood.

"I think so. We need to get him to a hospital," Billy replied, looking up at Quil, seeing the expression on the younger man's face.

"How's Old Quil?"

Not wanting to say the words that he dreaded, Quil shook his head before bending over and untying the knot at his ankle, holding his clothing in place. Without saying a word, he passed Billy his white t-shirt and met the man's eyes briefly, seeing the sadness behind them. Billy quickly placed the over Charlie's abdomen, holding it over the wounds while Quil pulled on his cut offs. He did up the button and growled.

"I should have killed that bloodsucker more slowly," he stated bitterly.

Knowing that the threat to them was gone, Billy nodded.

"You saved Charlie and myself," Billy quickly reminded him. "And I still need your help."

Billy paused and looked to Charlie, who still was staring wide eyed at Quil.

"Charlie, where's your cell phone?"

Hearing his name, Charlie's eyes quickly turned to Billy before he pinched his eyes shut, trying to recall where he had left it.

"Uh...it's in my b...back pocket."

"I'll get it," Quil quickly stated, kneeling down across from Billy, beside Charlie.

Suddenly, Charlie startled and struggled as he tried to back away from Quil, putting up his hands in fear of the man who had just transformed from a giant wolf in front of his very eyes. As much as he'd like to assume that it was a hallucination or some delusion due to blood loss, it seemed too realistic and far fetched that he doubt that his mind could imagine something like that.

"Get the hell away from me!" Charlie gasped through his chenched teeth, feeling the pain with each sudden movement that he made.

Billy struggled to keep the shirt in place, desperate to slow the blood loss.

"Charlie! Hold still!" Billy exclaimed through clenched teeth, fighting to keep pressure on the wounds.

"Like h...ell I will," Charlie gasped. "He's a...a...a..."

Billy sighed, glancing at Quil before looking back down at Charlie.

"A wolf, yes," Billy finished for him with a nod. "But I assure you, Quil is not a danger to us. His job is to protect us and I promise you that I'll explain everything later, if you'd just allow him to help."

Billy watched as Charlie closed his eyes and scoffed with a wince before he nodded reluctantly.

Taking that as his cue, Quil carefully reached beneath Charlie and slid the phone out of his pocket.

Quil quickly dialed 911 and instructed the dispatcher where they were, revealing that there was a cougar attack by the docks on the north side of Lake Pleasant outside of Forks.

Even as Quil paced, with the phone to his ear and his own keen eyes kept scanning the forest for any other vampires, Charlie watched him, even as his energy waned. He could hear Quil's voice becoming more frantic as he talked to the dispatcher on the phone while Billy demanded that Charlie kept his eyes open.

"Sue..." Charlie whispered, his own voice loosing strength. "...take care..."

Billy had to lean in in order to hear his words, yet the simple request from the Chief of Police caught the ear of Quil and he turned, even as he paced with the phone on his ear. He shook his head, tears in his eyes as the words pulled at his heart. Charlie knew how dire his situation was.

"Don't you dare talk about that, Chief," Billy said, choking on his words. "Sue would hit you up the back of the head for even thinking about it."

A smile came to Charlie's lips as his eyes closed momentarily while he nodded.

"Yeah, she'd b...be...pr...pretty t...ticked," he said with a chuckle before he began coughing, blood spurting from between his lips.

In the distance, the ambulances sirens wailed, the sound echoing off the trees as it came down the road. They were close, but the winding road up to the lake slowed them down. As the pair of ambulances finally came into view, Quil hung up the phone and waved at the EMT's driving the rigs, gaining their attention.

Charlie watched, and heard the sounds as a flurry of activity suddenly surrounded him. As much as he tried to follow the simple directions and keep his eyes open, he simply couldn't. He was tired and slowly felt the abyss of darkness pull him in until he finally slipped under.

* * *

Jacob walked down the hotel corridor, his clothes completely soaked while he carried two steaming cups in his hands. He carried them as though they were liquid gold. There was no way he was going to run down the street in the pouring rain once again. If only Jo knew what he had to go through in order to get her a mocha before she woke.

He had planned it perfectly the night before. Except, he had slept in much later than he anticipated. Thankfully, so did Jo.

It was no surprise that they had. Neither Jo nor Jacob had gotten much sleep that night. And Jacob wasn't about to complain.

He was so preoccupied with memories of the night prior, that he was completely oblivious to the flirtatious stares that he had been receiving from the coffee shop barista.

The scent of Jo's skin as he traced his nose along her bare shoulder, the taste of her lips and the touch of her warm hands on his body were imprinted into his mind as much as on his skin. He had a grin wherever he seemed to go. He didn't even care when the barista spelled Jo's name with an E at the end on the side of her cup. As annoyed as he was with being caught in a downpour on his way back to the hotel, nothing could dampen his mood.

When he reached their closed door, he paused and listened. Hearing no sounds from within, he carefully balanced the two cups on top of each other while he slid the key card to unlock the door. Sure enough, he was greeted with the darkness of their room, just like he had left it.

Softly, he placed the two cups on the table before he slid his soaked shoes off.

Jacob smiled, seeing that Jo had pulled the blankets up to her neck, leaving only her tousled brown hair visible. He peeled off his wet shirt over his head and tossed it onto the bathroom counter before tugging off his shorts. Running his hand through his short hair, he found that it was nearly dry before he carefully lifted his side of the blankets and slipped beneath them.

Jacob moved behind Jo, brushing her hair away from her neck. With a smirk, he placed feather-soft kisses along the back of Jo's neck, causing her to wake. At first he heard her groan at the interruption to her sleep before she chuckled.

"Jake, that tickles," Jo mumbled, pulling her shoulders up causing Jacob to chuckle against her skin.

"How'd you know it was me?"

He heard her scoff before she rolled over. "I've been married to you for seventeen years. I'd hope that I'd recognize you by now or I'd be concerned that my freaky wolf superpowers are slipping."

Jacob chuckled and rolled his eyes at her mention of 'superpowers'.

Her eyes suddenly locked on his as a smile came to her face. "Why am I smelling cafe mocha?"

Jacob feigned confusion, as he looked down at her with his head propped up on his hand.

"I don't smell cafe mocha," he said slowly. "Are you sure you're 'freaky wolf superpowers' are operating normally today?"

Despite his facial expression telling her otherwsie, Jo could hear the teasing within his tone. Besides, Jacob was a horrible actor.

Jo playfully scowled at him before she sat up, holding the blanket to her chest within the dark room. At the same time, Jacob jumped out of bed and went to get the two cups. He ceremoniously held out the cup with Jo's name towards her. She smiled but then chuckled upon seeing the name JOE written on the side.

"You did this while I was sleeping?"

Jacob nodded, sitting back down beside her.

"They say they have the best coffee in Seattle so I figured, what the hell," he said flippantly. "Why not try it while we're here?!"

Jo took a sip, closing her eyes as she sighed.

Jacob watched her, entranced not only by the sound she made but by how the way she looked. Her hair sat haphazardly on top of her head and her lips were slightly swollen. He smirked, knowing he was the one that caused her to look that way when she happened to look at him in a certain way, causing a stirring within him, that only she could invoke.

When she opened her eyes, and they fell on him, he could see that sultry look within them once again.

Without saying a word, she reached behind her to place the cup on the nightstand just as Jacob slid back into bed beside her. His arms snaked around her back, pulling her close to his bare chest while her leg wrapped tightly around him. Jo's fingerprints burned on his skin as he leaned in, capturing her mouth once again.

Upon hearing the sudden sound of his phone vibrating somewhere in the room, he pulled away momentarily, turned his head and listened.

"Do you hear that?"

Jo hummed in response before she kissed the base of his ear, her teeth grazing his ear lobe.

Jacob closed his eyes and growled in the back of his throat, relishing in the sensation. Jo giggled before Jacob quickly turned his attention back to her, flipping her onto her back and holding her hands above her head.

When the phone vibrated once again, Jacob paused.

"Ignore it," Jo gasped, wrapping her legs around Jacob's pelvis, pulling him down onto her.

Heeding her command, Jacob did just that; after all, right now, they were just Jacob and Jo. The world beyond the four walls just didn't exist. Everything mystical and supernatural simply didn't matter.

The next time the phone vibrated, Jacob growled angrily as he leaned his forehead to Jo's, soaking in her calmness in order for him to keep his cool. Jo heard it as well and sighed.

"Maybe you should answer it," she said softly.

"Or maybe I should just turn it off until we get back to La Push."

Jacob sat up on his knees and groaned as he climbed off of Jo and stood up on the ground. He searched the floor for his pants that he had worn and found them partially tucked under the falling comforter from the bed. Jacob picked up the pants and pulled out the phone, turning on the main screen. His eyes widened.

Jacob ran his hand through his hair. "Thirteen missed calls and twenty-two texts?"

"What?" Jo exclaimed, as Jacob began to read through the texts. "What time is it?"

"It's nearly noon," he replied stoically as he read. Each text said roughtly the same - call home when he got the message. Besides the first dozen belonging to Charlie, ranging from early that morning to nearly an hour ago, the rest were from Sam Uley.

Putting the phone to his ear, he began listening to the phone calls. Just like the texts, the calls began with Charlie's cryptic message to give him a call when they're on the way back and ended with Sam Uley's more persistent request that he call as soon as he gets the message.

Being that the kids were staying with the Swans, Jacob shook his head as he dialed Charlie's number.

"We can't go away for 2 nights without La Push falling apart," he chuckled, yet the expression changed when it wasn't Charlie who answered, but Quil.

"Quil? Why do you have...?"

He didn't say anything else, just listened with increased anxiety as his friend quickly relayed the reason behind Sam's multiple phone calls and why he currently had Charlie's phone.

Jo watched Jacob's expression and pulled a shirt over her head before walking over to him. It went from fear to sadness and finally he clenched his teeth as anger seemed to take refuge. Not knowing what was going on and being unable to hear Quil clearly over hte phone, Jo put her hand on Jacob's arm, causing him to look down at her. His face softened as he ended the call with Quil.

"Yeah, we'll be there as soon as we can," he said between his teeth, before pulling the phone from his ear.

"Jake? What is it?"

"Quil's at the hospital with Charlie and my Dad," he said, his voice cracking. "They were attacked."


	14. Chapter 14

**_A/N:_**

 ** _Someone had PM'd me, asking if I could write out a simple layout of characters, their ages and how they're all related to each other, so then when I mention a name from a certain family, there is no confusion. I think it's a great idea, especially as we move further through the story. So, rather than just reply to the original message, I decided to put it with the next chapter..._**

 ** _Jacob & Jo Black \- Nathaneal(17), Sarah(13), Liam(10)_**

 ** _Sam & Emily Uley \- Elizabeth(17), Talon(16), Shawn(12)_**

 ** _Paul & Rachel Lahote \- Ryan(16), Amy(12), Nicholas(10)_**

 ** _Embry & Michelle Call(-not an imprint - isn't aware of the wolf pack/supernatural) - Derek(15) & Danielle(15)_**

 ** _Jared & Kim Cameron \- Jonah(15), Jenna(13)_**

 ** _Quil & Claire Ateara \- Joy(2)_**

 ** _Seth & Amanda Clearwater(-not an imprint - isn't aware of the wolf pack/supernatural) - Hannah(7)_**

 ** _Leah Clearwater \- unmarried, no children, working at the tribal school_**

 ** _**None of the next generation are aware of the existence of the wolf pack or any supernatural creatures_**

* * *

The anxiety was thick in the air of the small SUV. Although neither voiced it, it was obvious that both Jacob and Jo were worried about what was happening back home. They hadn't spoken too much on their ride back to Forks. Jo had offered to drive, allowing Jacob the chance to call around, to gather more information on what was going on. Although his position as Alpha no longer applied to the unphased pack, Jacob's innate leadership desired him to figure out what was going on, especially considering it involved his father. Despite Quil's very brief phone conversation with him at the hotel, it had left a lot of unanswered questions.

What happened?

Was Billy alright?

What was so bad that they had to go to a hospital?

No one that he called seemed to answer their phones and it only fueled his growing frustration.

When he decided to call the Uley's house, Emily picked up and Jacob let out a sigh of relief, as he felt that he could finally get some answers. Unfortunately, Sam had already left for the hospital and Emily didn't know much more than he did. She did inform Jacob that both Liam and Sarah were over at their house, leaving Nate to drive Sue into Forks.

That bit of information alone made him feel a bit more relieved. At least his kids were safe.

Emily suggested that he called Embry, considering his wife, Michelle worked the ER at the Forks hospital and if anyone would have information, it would be him. Not surprisingly, his call to Embry went unanswered just as it had for everyone else.

"If they're at the hospital, they may be in an area where cell phones aren't allowed," Jo suggested softly, her eyes watching the road ahead as she drove.

He nodded, having not considered that until she had mentioned it.

With a sigh, Jacob looked out the window, watching the passing scenery, hoping that time would go by faster than it currently was. When he felt Jo's hand touch his own, he looked over at her.

"He'll be all right," Jo told him, knowing that his mind was on his father. "Billy is tougher than we think."

They all knew that Billy's health wasn't the best. His diabetes had always been a growing concern with his age and it had angered Jacob at how much a disease could affect his father's life. The simplest thing of changing his insulin dose could have adverse affects on his body. Jacob knew that it could be a whole lot worse, but to see his father, a man who personified strength within their small community, be at the mercy of a chronic disease was frustrating. He knew how it was for Billy as well, but he had a strong determination to not allow it to affect his lifestyle and in all accounts, it hadn't.

When they finally arrived at the hospital, Jo had parked the car near the ER entrance before rushing in with Jacob at her side.

"I'm looking for Billy Black," Jacob said, the moment they approached the nurses station.

The nurse looked up at him over her glasses, her eyes wide at the tone of Jacob's voice. It was demanding and a little intimidating. Sensing the woman's apprehension in giving the crazed man before him any information on a patient within their care, Jo put a calm hand on Jacob's arm before leaning forward, pushing him slightly to the side. With a polite smile on her face, she looked at the nurse.

"Billy Black is my husband's father," Jo explained, gesturing to Jacob. "We got a call that he was brought in a little over an hour ago."

The nurse glanced from Jo to Jacob before sighing and looking back at the computer screen in front of her.

"There is no one here by that name."

"Try William, please," Jacob added, forcing his voice to sound softer despite his anxiety and eagerness to simply find where his was.

The nurse nodded having found Billy's name.

"He was admitted a while ago. He's in room 229."

They waited for a few seconds for the nurse to point them in the general direction before Jacob and Jo split off from her and made their way down the hallway towards the stairs to bring them to the second floor. Out of instinct and simply to calm his nerves, Jacob grabbed Jo's hand as he counted off the doors, reading the numbers as they passed by.

The hospital in Forks wasn't very large. It consisted of only three floors but boasted in itself for having a state-of-the-art CT and MRI imaging centre, one of the best in the Peninsula. For a small town, it did well. It also helped having such a large population outside of the town that helped aid the hospital in getting the funding needed to provide care.

Jacob had been inside the hospital a handful of times; years ago when Bella Swan had hurt herself following her joyride on the motorcycles and then more recently, a few emergencies that involved Nate and his RSV as a baby. Long ago, Jacob never knew why his father always opted to go to the clinic on the reservation or all the way out to Port Angeles Hospital, until years later when Jacob connected the Cullen's to what they really were.

Jacob always found it ironic that Dr. Cullen would choose to work in an environment where he'd be constantly surrounded by blood. Injuries, surgeries, car accidents...the list would be endless. He was certain that if any of them were a masochist, it would Carlisle Cullen. Yet the man had saved Jo's life when she first came to Forks, helped deliver his own son and protected the newborn from the Volturi when they arrived shortly after Nate's birth.

As emotionally conflicted as he was between his true nature to be compelled to eternally hate the Cullen's and his gratitude towards them, he was relieved that the only overwhelming scent in the hospital that he could smell was that of peroxide.

Following the large signs from the ceiling, Jacob and Jo turned a corner and found a closed door, with the number 229. Gently, Jacob knocked on it.

Less than two seconds later, it opened and they were greeted by Embry's smiling face.

"I told you it was them," he said, looking over at Nate where he stood near Billy's bed.

Jacob followed Embry's line of sight, seeing his son and then his father, laying partially reclined in the hospital bed.

Billy's eyes visibly brightened upon seeing Jacob and Jo at the door. As bright as his smile was, it was hard to ignore the rather large patch of gauze taped above his right eye. Either than that, Billy appeared to be fine.

They weren't alone in the room. Sam and Jared stood near the window while Paul leaned against a wall, behind the chair that Rachel was sitting in beside Billy. When she saw Jacob and Jo at the door, she stood up, moving towards Jo to give her a hug.

"We weren't expecting you guys for a while still," Rachel said.

"Yeah, well Jo was driving."

Jared chuckled. "Well that explains it.

Jo quickly shot Jared a look and smirked while Jacob went to greet his father. Nate moved back giving him space while Jo moved in and gave Nate a hug, keeping her arm wrapped around him.

Billy reached out with his hand toward Jacob and he quickly took it, squeezing it within his two hands.

"Are you all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine!" Billy said. "I don't know why everyone is fussing over me."

"Dad, you cut your head open," Rachel reminded him as she walked over to the bed, before looking over at Jacob across from her.

"He might have hit his head. He's having trouble remembering events that happened just before the accident and they gave him a quick head CT to make sure there isn't any damage there."

Billy rolled his eyes. "I did not hit my head."

"You may have forgotten that you did," Rachel argued. "We'll know for sure when the results come back."

"My head is fine!" He paused and shrugged. "You should be worrying about Charlie. He's the one who's in surgery right now."

That bit of news caught JAcob by surprise.

"Charlie's in surgery?"

Paul nodded, walking up behind Rachel, taking her hand in his own.

"He's been there for almost two hours now. Seth said he'd come up to let us know when they're done. He and Leah are waiting with Sue."

Jacob nodded in understanding.

"And Old Quil? Where's he at?"

Paul paused, and quickly looked over at Billy before once again meeting Jacob's eyes.

"Quil didn't tell you?"

Jacob snorted. "I had a ten second conversation with the guy that consisted of him telling me there was an accident, that Billy was hurt and that I had to come home right away before he hung up on me."

"Jake," Billy said, his voice compelling Jacob to give him attention. The moment he met his eyes, Jacob knew. He heard Jo's quick intake of breath as the realization hit her just seconds before Billy spoke.

"Old Quil didn't make it."

The words were so soft, barely audible. No one ever wanted to admit it out loud. The group had done their share of crying when the news came in, but the casual banter had changed their moods. Unfortunately, it hit them once again.

It didn't seem possible or even real. More like a cruel joke.

Old Quil lived as though he was younger than his age and always had impeccable health despite how old he was. To anyone who knew him, would believe that he would live on for eternity. The wisdom and knowledge that he possessed alone had garnered him immortality. To hear that he was essentially gone, was something that Jacob's mind just couldn't fathom.

Jacob lowered his head and pinched his eyes shut. He felt Jo's hand on his shoulder while Rachel sniffed. It was otherwise silent in the room before Sam cleared his throat, the emotion even thick for him.

"Quil was here for a while, but we told him to go home to be with Claire," Sam said softly. "The guy isn't taking it too well."

Jacob sighed and opened his tear-rimmed eyes.

"What...what happened?"

Jacob nearly growled it out.

No one spoke for a few seconds, but Jacob saw the silent exchange between Paul and Billy. Billy casually glanced at Nate before looking down at his hands that Jacob held.

"It was a mountain lion," Billy finally said. "Seth said that they have contacted animal control and they're working on tracking it down."

Jacob could hear so many hidden meanings within Billy's statement. But being that Nate was present, Jacob knew that Billy wasn't about to expose the reality for what it could be. The many possibilities whirled around in his mind as Rachel suddenly sighed before she spoke.

"I uh...I need to grab myself a coffee," she said before her eyes zeroed in on her nephew. "Nate, why don't you come with me?"

It appeared as though he was about to kindly refuse when Billy realized what Rachel was doing; giving the pack the privacy to talk. Billy smiled and encouraged him to go with her, saying that Nate most likely had missed lunch due to rushing to the hospital, and that he must be hungry.

Following Jacob's nod that he join his aunt to grab something to eat, Nate left the small hospital room with Rachel leaving Billy alone with the pack.

The moment that Jacob heard the door click, indicating that it had closed, he spoke.

"Are we talking code for vampire?"

Paul nodded as Embry and Jared moved in closer to Billy's bed along with Sam, who walked up beside Jacob and Jo.

"Quil said he ripped the damn thing apart and burned it," Embry told him. "Said he picked up the scent near La Push."

"What I don't understand is why the thing skirted around the Rez only to end up by Rice Lake and to attack Billy, Charlie and Old Quil," Jared stated.

"It didn't even come onto our land?" Jacob asked, quite perplexed to hear that.

Sam shook his head. "I took a quick drive around La Push to check things out before heading out here and like Quil said, the bloodsucker was keeping his distance. The only reason Quil caught the scent was because he was patrolling downwind when it went by."

"We're lucky Quil was in the right place at the right time," Billy said softly.

Jacob nodded, looking at Billy and then to Sam.

"So, it avoided La Push purposely, passed Forks and then headed straight for Old Quil, Charlie and Billy? Out of every other human in that town, it decided to go after three men from the reservation who weren't even on the Rez at the time?"

Sam nodded. "I agree. It does sound a bit odd."

"There was some serious calculating there," Jared added. "Doesn't sound like a random thing to me."

"Me neither," Jo stated, looking at Jacob, who turned his attention back to Embry.

"Did Quil recognize the bloodsucker? Is it one we've encountered before or who'd know the area?"

Embry shrugged. "He didn't say."

"When he called, he was quite distraught over Old Quil and barely explained about finding the leech scent," Sam added before Jacob looked to Billy.

"Did the vampire say anything? Anything at all?"

"Jake, the last thing I remember is reeling in my line on the boat," he explained with a frustrating sign. "The next thing I know, I'm on the ground and that...thing...is standing over Charlie." Billy paused, shaking his head at the horrible memory. "The doctor is saying that it's probably just a short-term memory loss due me somehow hitting my head. Either way, I hate to even suggest this, but we may have to ask Charlie to help fill in the gaps when he wakes from his surgery."

"Dad, I'm sure your memory loss is temporary," Jacob told him, with a gentle smile. "I doubt we'll have to expose Charlie to the realities of our world anytime soon."

Billy sighed. "Unfortunately, we may be too late for that, son."

As Jacob looked on confused, it was Jared who began to smirk.

"Charlie saw Quil's wolf and then watched him phase into his buck-naked self."

"I would've loved to see Charlie's face," Paul said, with a smile. "It's not everyday you see a guy you've known for his entire life morph from a wolf into a naked man."

"Billy, do you think that it's a good idea to tell Charlie the truth?" Sam asked, ignoring the pair across from him.

"Charlie's a police officer," Billy stated. "It's likely he'll ask questions or try to figure out what he saw. Remember how long he searched for Bella before finally giving up? It was over a decade."

Billy shook his head.

"I really don't think Charlie will let this go and he seems to be our only option right now."

* * *

Rachel knew the coffee would probably taste horrible. Although she didn't expect coffee coming from a hospital cafeteria to taste anywhere near something she'd get from a coffee shop, she prayed that it would be at least decent. If not, she only hoped that the muffin she grabbed to go with it would renew her faith in hospital food.

While she stood in line to pay, she looked over to where Nate was sitting. He was looking through the window to the green courtyard below, his mind seemingly miles away.

Nate seemed so preoccupied that he didn't even notice when Rachel sat down across from him, dropping a cellophane-wrapped sandwich in front of him.

"I know that you don't like ham and you can't have egg salad, so I grabbed you a tuna sandwich," she said, causing Nate to look down at the sandwich in front of him.

He didn't say anything, nor did he touch it.

Rachel sighed.

"Don't tell me you're not hungry," Rachel said, pushing the sandwich closer towards Nate. "I know that you can pack away as much food as Ryan can and if you haven't had lunch yet, you've got to be hungry."

Nate smiled weakly, taking the sandwich and slowly unwrapping it while Rachel sipped her coffee. She winced and chuckled.

"This coffee really is nasty," she said, pushing it aside in favour of her muffin. Rachel watched Nate as he ate.

He looked out the window as he chewed, his eyes dark and contemplative. His shoulders appeared as though he carried the weight of the world on them. Rachel was certain that she was looking at Jacob when he was younger.

"Okay, I know that I wasn't around when your Dad was going through his brooding teen phase, but I'm certain that he looked exactly like you do right now."

Nate rolled his eyes.

"I'm not brooding," Nate said, out of the corner of his mouth as he chewed.

"Then what's the problem?"

"There is no problem," he said, taking another bite.

Thinking quickly, Rachel grabbed the remains of the sandwich and pulled it towards her, holding it hostage within her fingers.

"Hey! What the hell?"

"I know the dangers of coming between teen boys and their food, but you can't lie to me and tell me there's nothing wrong. I know you, Nate. I changed your diapers."

Nate sighed, looking back outside and shook his head, stubbornly determined to get her to drop the matter.

Rachel suddenly brightened, considering what could be the problem.

"OH, I get it!" She said, causing Nate to glance over at her. "You're suddenly realizing that your parents don't know the crap you, Ryan and Jonah got into last night and you're dreading the moment your Dad finds out from Grandpa or your Uncle Paul. Honestly, I would be freaking out if I were you, so that explains everything."

Nate scowled as she shoved the sandwich back towards him.

"Enjoy your last meal outside of the house."

Nate scoffed at her teasing and crossed his arms, looking out the window.

"I should have been there," he mumbled.

"What? Where?"

Nate looked back at his Aunt Rachel, her eyes softening, meeting as she met his.

Rachel could see the sensitivity behind his eyes, the tears that he forced back from even welling up in his eyes.

"I was supposed to go fishing this morning with grandpa," he said softly. "If I wasn't so stupid and went out to that party last night, I would've been able to go with him, Uncle Charlie and Old Quil and could have done something. Maybe Old Quil would still be alive and Charlie wouldn't be hurt."

Images flashed through Rachel's mind of what could have happened if Nate had gone. There would be no way that Nate would survive a vampire attack. It would kill Jacob to know that his son was hurt or worse, turned by one. That thought alone scared her enough that she became angry.

"Are you kidding me!? What do you think you could've done against a damn mountain lion?"

Nate scoffed and shrugged.

"I do know that if you had gone along and something had happened to you, Old Quil, Grandpa Billy and Uncle Charlie would never forgive themselves for letting you come along and your Mom and Dad would never get over it."

She paused.

"You're important to a lot of people, Nate," Rachel said, with a smile. "I know for a fact that as much as Ryan teases you sometimes for being quiet and not as impulsive as he is, he really loves you like a brother. He wouldn't say it, but I know that he wouldn't be the same if something were ever to happen to you."

Nate nodded and looked down at the sandwich in front of him.

"I Just wish that I could've done something," he said softly.

Rachel smiled and reached across the table, putting her hand on his.

"You did," she told him. "You should have seen how Billy smiled when he saw you came into his room. His whole countenance changed. You made a horrible day a little brighter for him, just by being there. His loves his grandkids."

She sighed and leaned back in her seat.

"Besides, you're only seventeen," she said with a chuckle. "Stop acting like you're an adult. It makes me feel old."

She paused for a moment and smirked.

"But you are right about one thing."

"What's that?"

"You were stupid for going to that party."

A small cracked on Nate's face, before he looked out the window once more.

* * *

"Some good news for you," Michelle Call said, looking at Billy's chart with a satisfied smile. "The CT scan came back clear."

Upon getting the call from her husband, Embry that three men from the reservation were enroute to the hospital ER, she arranged it to somehow get onto one of their cases, if only to help get information for the families that would undoubtedly be concerned. Fortunately, she was handed Billy Black the moment he came through the doors on the gurney. His hands and jacket were covered in blood and after being assured from the EMT's that it belonged to the other guy, she told some of her interns to set him up in an ER bay.

Her face paled when she saw the second ambulance pull up, and the two EMT's who were currently doing CPR on an ashen-faced Charlie Swan. A flourish of activity followed the gurney into the elevator. Michelle had cleared her throat, forcing herself to focus her energy on Billy and to not allow the image of the Forks' Chief of Police and family friend, preoccupy her mind.

She had stuck by Billy throughout the initial exam as well as heard the story he told to the police of how the mountain lion had come out of nowhere, attacking Old Quil, and then him before Charlie got the animals attention. Her concern for him when he couldn't remember some events leading up to it along with the obvious head wound brought up her order for a head CT scan.

"But that doesn't explain his memory loss," Jacob said, causing Michelle to shrug.

"It could be a number of things; Trauma or stress even. Physically wise, there is no reason why you should have any kind of memory loss. But because of your medical history, we are going to keep you overnight for observation."

"What about Charlie? Have you heard anything?"

Michelle winced, looking from Billy to the many pairs of eyes, seemingly desperate to hear how their friend was doing.

"I'm sorry," she told them. "I don't have that information."

"Can't you look it up on your little ipad there?" Paul asked, a bit frustrated that Michelle wasn't a bit more forthcoming in finding answers for them.

Hearing his tone, Embry visibly moved protectively closer to her, shadowing her with his height exceeding hers by nearly a foot and a half.

"I could," Michelle said, narrowing her eyes at Paul. "But that would go against my medical authority and I'm not about to get myself fired."

"We wouldn't want you to get into any trouble," Billy stated softly, eying Paul and then Embry as they seemed to stare each other down. Not to their surprise, Michelle had more attitude than height and had come to know Paul's blunt behaviour over the years.

"We're just concerned, Mich," Jo added, while both Embry and Paul simmered down.

"I know," she said, with a small smile. "I've been checking in with Sue every so often to see if he's come out."

"How is Sue?" Billy asked, his eyes sympathetic.

For Sue, they all knew how hard this must be. For her, it was like history repeating itself. Memories of hearing about Harry Clearwater's death was still so fresh in their minds, even after all these years. To be faced with that heartbreak once again was almost too much for one person to handle.

Michelle sighed. "She's hanging in there. I think having Seth and Leah with her is helping."

A sudden lull in the conversation caused the wolf pack to glance at each other in apprehension. Billy seemed to notice and glanced towards the door just as a soft knock echoed in the small room.

Sam opened the door, not all surprised to see that it was Seth. They had all smelled the familiar scent of their brother as he approached the door.

They looked at his face, and for once wished they could read his mind while in human form.

"Seth," Billy breathed "How's Charlie?"

Seth pinched his lips together and nodded.

"He's out of surgery," he said, tears welling up in his eyes. "They...uh...said, that his heart stopped twice - Once on the way to the hospital and again during the surgery."

"Oh my god," Jo gasped, putting her hand to her mouth, while feeling Jacob grab her hand, squeezing it. "Poor Aunt Sue."

"How is he now?" Billy asked, his voice trembling as the news hit him how close he was to loosing his best friend.

"Alive. Barely," Seth answered, softly. "The doc said that he's lucky to have made it through the surgery. He's lost a lot of blood and he's in the ICU. Leah's going with Sue to go see him."

Billy sighed, a weak smile coming to his face. "Well, hopefully I'll be able to visit with him in the next few days after he gets his strength back. I'm sure he'll be having lots of questions about what he saw and I promised I'd answer them."

Seth shook his head, opening his mouth as Billy spoke.

"Uh...I...I don't think he'll be awake by then," Seth told him.

"What do you mean?"

Seth looked at the people staring back at him, confused.

"The doc said that due to the lack of oxygenated blood in his system, his body forced his brain to go into a coma," Seth answered. "He's not sure when or if he'll ever wake up."

* * *

 ** _A/N -_**

 ** _For some reason, this chapter took me a bit longer to write than the others. There's a lot of meat going on here and I was careful to put it in the right order and to not jump the gun with anything...trying to be methodical here. ;) It's just me trying to write a good story. Hope you're all enjoying it. Hopefully the next chapter will be quicker...maybe by the weekend with some nice reviews. ;)_**


	15. Chapter 15

Never in his life had silence ever been so frightening. Not only that, but the stare that his father gave him when he walked back into the hospital room shook him to his very core. Nate didn't know what was going on, but he had a pretty good suspicion.

Someone had told his parents about him sneaking out to the party.

Based on the expressions of sadness along with glances of sympathy towards him, something had indeed happened while he and Rachel were gone. Without saying a word, a silent conversation seemed to pass between the group before everyone quickly left the room. Rachel was about to question what was going on, when Paul gently took her by the hand and gestured back towards Jacob, who looked utterly pissed. It was then she knew what was happening.

Within moments, the room had emptied, leaving a nervous-looking Nate alone with his grandfather and parents.

For seconds after the door closed, Jacob just crossed his arms and stared at his son. The silence that lingered was thick with disappointment and anger. Jacob's facial expression seemed dark, and for a second, Nate was certain that he heard a growl before Jo gently placed her hand on Jacob's arm.

Nate cleared his throat, eager to break the uncomfortable silence. But it was Jacob who finally spoke and he spoke firmly, despite his anger.

"We were just talking with your grandpa a few minutes ago," he said, sharply. "He told us a little about why Uncle Charlie had been trying to get ahold of us this morning before they went out fishing."

Nate's eyes flickered over to Billy before landing on his Mom. He didn't want to look back at his Dad. He could feel Jacob's eyes staring hard at him. Finally, he sighed and looked at the blankets on Billy's bed.

"Dad..."

"Don't," he quickly interrupted, holding up his hand while clenching his teeth. "I'm not in the mood right now and I don't want to hear any excuses."

"Nate, we trusted you," Jo added, her eyes pleading as disappointment dripped from her words. "And you just threw that away. What were you thinking?"

With a sigh, he shrugged. "I don't know. I'm sorry."

"You're just sorry that you got caught and that you're going to be doing yard work for Uncle Charlie and Grandpa Billy for the entire summer," Jacob snapped. "You're lucky that it was on the reservation and that Uncle Seth couldn't officially charge you for trespassing and underage drinking. And you were smoking pot!? Are you insane!? Nate, you know that getting into drugs could ruin your chances at getting into college next year!

Nate opened his mouth in surprise and shook his head adamantly.

"Oh my god, I'm not on drugs and I didn't smoke pot!"

"Your Uncle Seth said otherwise," Jo quickly shot back at him, shocked at his sudden outburst. "He could smell it on you."

Nate rolled his eyes. "Then I must have sat near someone with it." He looked firmly at Jacob. "Look! I did not. Smoke. Pot. I didn't smoke anything."

"Why did you go then?"

Nate shrugged and scoffed in frustration.

"I don't know. Maybe I just wanted to live a little," he told them sharply, his voice a bit more forceful. "The Rez is so boring. Sometimes I can't wait to leave home and go to college just so that I can have some freedom!"

Jacob shook his head incredulously at Nate's statement and scoffed.

"Well, unfortunately for you, freedom is the last thing you're going to be getting around here anytime soon. Along with working at the diner and doing that yard work for Grandpa and Charlie, you're going to be moping the shop floor every night after closing..."

Nate rolled his eyes. He had been anticipating something like this from his Dad.

"...from now until the beginning of the school year."

Nate's eyes suddenly widened.

Upon seeing his reaction, Jacob smirked. "But you'll have company. Uncle Paul will be sending Ryan over to help."

Nate sighed in resignation. He knew that there was no use in arguing and if anything, it would simply make things worse. By the look on his Dad's face, he'd have no problem issuing more jobs to him should he decide to argue.

"Fine," Nate grumbled. "I already told Grandpa and Uncle Charlie that I'd do the work they're wanting me to do along with any punishment that the council elders see fit. I'll just add that to the list."

Billy swallowed. "Actually, with Old Quil's funeral sometime in the next few days and Sue, who'll be making trips back and forth to the hospital to visit Charlie, we're going to have to postpone that elders meeting for the time being. But in the meantime, I'm sure that Sue would appreciate the extra help around the house this summer while Charlie is in the hospital."

Nate paused, looking from his grandfather's ashen face and strangled voice as he spoke of Charlie and then back to his parents, who seemed just as concerned. Something was wrong. It was obvious to him that they knew something about Charlie that they hadn't told him yet.

"What's wrong? Is Uncle Charlie going to be all right?"

"Nate, Charlie is in a coma," Jo said softly. "The doctor's aren't sure when he'll wake up."

Nate's eyes widened, looking from Billy to Jo.

"But he will, right?"

Billy smiled, but it never did reach his eyes.

"Nate, I've known Charlie Swan for many years and I know that he'll fight his way through this - one way or another."

Guilt ate away at Nate. Although he knew in his heart that Charlie getting hurt wasn't his fault, he couldn't help but feel helpless as a sadness washed over him.

There was a good possibility that his Uncle Charlie would never wake up. As optimistic as Billy sounded, there was always that reality.

Nate cleared his throat audibly and nodded.

"Since it's started raining, I'll make sure to get back to Aunt Sue and Uncle Charlie's first thing tomorrow mor..."

"No, you're going there tonight," Jacob corrected sharply, causing Nate to quickly turn his attention to him.

Nate met his father's eyes. He knew that Jacob was angry and disappointed in him, but he had never seen such a fire behind his eyes before. He knew that given Jacob's physical attributes and size, he had the potential to intimidate people. Nate had heard more than once that Jacob was joking around about putting the fear of God into whichever boy would be coming around once Sarah began dating. Never once had he felt that intimidation from his father until now. But still, he wasn't afraid of him.

Nate had apologized more than once and knew that what he had done was wrong and that he had lost the trust of family members, but he assured them all that he would work to restore that. As much as he wasn't looking forward to all the jobs that were lined up as part of his punishment, he was determined to do them.

Still, Jacob's eyes never moved from Nate.

As much as that piercing gaze insisted that Nate should submit to his Father's authority, he couldn't help but push back. Whether it was Nate's inert determination along with classic teenage rebellion or growing independence or simply his lack of development in his frontal cortex that caused him to argue with Jacob, they didn't know. Later, Jacob would claim that it was a mix of all three.

But according to Nate, his Dad's request was completley outrageous.

"I was working there all morning until I left with Aunt Sue to come here," Nate argued. "I'll start back up tomorrow - when it isn't raining."

"It's not cold. You can put on a raincoat," Jacob stated, firmly. "You're working tonight and that's final."

Jo sucked in a breath, hearing the familiar Alpha timbre that she hadn't heard in years come out within his tone as he unconsciously gave his son an order in the midst of his anger. Being that he wasn't pack, Nate would have felt no obligation to follow the direction but Jo had come to know that Jacob's orders would come across as a strong suggestion to humans. More often than not, they'd be followed.

Although he felt reluctant to the demand, Nate still nodded as he scowled at Jacob.

"Fine," Nate seethed before glancing over at his grandfather, sitting somewhat shocked on the gurney. Nate's eyes softened.

"I'll see you tomorrow, Grandpa. I'm going to go wait downstairs."

His eyes didn't even glance back to his parents before he left the hospital room.

"Jake," Jo said, her voice defeated. "Why did you do that?"

Feeling the surge of authority and frustration still winding its way through his veins, Jacob ran his hands through his hair and paced alongside the wall, looking out the window. In the past, he would've phased in order to get the excess anger out of his system. Being that he was determined to not go wolf, over the years, he had learned other coping mechanisms. Now, he simply focused on things; Jo's heartbeat, her scent in the room or in this case, the drops of rain sliding slowly down the glass window to Billy's hospital room.

"I didn't even realize I did it until it happened," Jacob said softly.

"You gave an Alpha directive to Nate, didn't you," Billy stated, rather than asked. He had even heard the power in Jacob's voice when he had spoken.

"I promised myself that I would never speak that way to the kids; that I wouldn't get that angry with any of them to allow the wolf to manifest."

Jacob's back was still towards them as he put his hands on his face, feeling ashamed.

"Alpha directive aside, we were right to be upset for what he had done," Jo told him, resting her hand on Jacob's shoulder, the anger melting off of him upon contact. "He's old enough to know that what he had done wasn't acceptable. We raised the kids to know better."

"I'm not condoning Nate's actions in any way," Billy said, his voice soft. "But if Nate and the boys hadn't gotten into trouble, he would have come with us fishing and very well could have been killed today."

Jacob took a deep breath, nodding his head. "The thought had crossed my mind. I'm not going to go as far as to say that I'm happy that Nate had gone to that party but I'm glad that he wasn't with you today, Dad."

"You and me both, son," Billy said. "But my biggest concern right now besides Charlie is how long had that vampire been frequenting the area."

They all knew what it would mean for the kids had the vampire been in the area. It was an unspoken concern whenever Quil had come across the strong scent near their lands. But it had always been just passing through, never attacking, until now.

Jacob shook his head. "From what Quil had said, today was the first day he found it. It was just another nomad passing through the area. We haven't had any constant vampiric activity since the Cullen's were here. I doubt that you have anything to worry about."

* * *

Somewhere in Eastern France

The piano music flittered within the warm, mountainous early-summer winds. Every morning was the same. Edward would play his piano for hours, as Esme enjoyed listening to him as the sun would come up over the Alps. She hummed the familiar tune as she arranged the array of beautiful flowers that Carlisle had gathered for her that morning. He smiled warmly at her while he read his book on the arm chair while listening to Edward play. Beyond the music, the house was quiet. Outside, she could hear the laughter of three of her children enjoying each other's company as they returned from a hunt. Bella, Jasper and Alice had obviously had a race back from wherever they had been that morning.

"Any mail?" Esme asked, eagerly to which Alice shook her head sadly.

It had been three years since they had heard from either Emmett or Rosalie. Having grown frustrated with her families desire to keep tabs on the Volturi for the Quileute's, Rosalie demanded that they leave France and move on to somewhere else in the world.

Over the past decade, the Volturi were more focused on the Romanians increasing in number. Centuries ago, the Volturi had once overthrown the Romanian regime to become the most powerful vampire coven within the world. But it appeared as though their Romanian leaders, Vladimir and Stefan were starting to rebuild their own army in an effort gain back power.

Still, Carlisle insisted that they stayed as it was a promise he made to the pack. Bella supported Carlisle in the decision and Rosalie would always argue with Bella about her continued desire to protect Jacob Black when he could clearly take care of himself. Rosalie would even insist that deep down, Bella was still in love with him. Although Bella couldn't deny that a part of her still felt something for Jacob, she insisted that they kept their word to look after the future of the tribe.

Because Bella wished to remain where they were, Edward stayed. Carlisle was determined to keep his word to Jacob Black and Esme agreed with her husband. Despite her dislike for the wolf-pack, yet still wishing to be near her best friend, Alice stayed with them and consequently, so did Jasper.

And then one morning, Rosalie and Emmett were gone. Alice hadn't even seen it coming and Edward hadn't even heard their thoughts regarding leaving the family.

Esme mourned the loss of her two children and still hoped that one day they would return.

"Well, we'll check again next week," Esme said, sounding hopeful as she stood back and took a look at the arrangement of flowers she had created. "Maybe there will be something then."

Bella walked past the flowers and wrapped her arms around Esme.

"I'm sorry, Esme."

"Whatever for?"

"I feel as though it is my fault that Rose and Emmett left," Bella admitted, as Carlisle stood up, putting down his book. "Rose and I never saw eye to eye when it came to Jacob Black."

"Emmett and Rosalie made that choice themselves," Carlisle told her, taking Esme's hand. "I made a promise to the Quileute's and we all agreed to keep that vow. Rose simply didn't understand our connection to them. She never had the chance to know them like we did."

Bella sighed as she felt Edward wrap his arms around her from behind.

"After a few hundred years, this issue between the Romanians and the Volturi will end and Aro will forget about the Quileute's completely and we can move on," he reminded her. "This isn't forever. We will see Rosalie and Emmett again."

A few hundred years.

The thought whirled in Bella's mind. She had only been immortal for just under eighteen years. As wonderful as those eighteen years had been, it felt like a lifetime. The world around her changed with the seasons; trees grew, flowers bloomed and died, and yet she stayed the same - frozen in time.

She had to admit that it was getting boring.

Edward had once said that vampires were very selfish creatures who bore easily. Bella couldn't understand it at one time, but now she could. She understood why Rose and Emmett couldn't stay in one place for too long. Being able to live for an eternity with nothing changing but the world around her was becoming boring.

Bella turned to Alice who skipped her way into the room, pulling Jasper by the hand.

"We need to cheer ourselves up," she announced happily. "I say, we..."

The smile on her face faltered as Jasper's grasp on her hand tightened before he quickly appeared in front of her, concerned.

Knowing that she had been keeping tabs on the Volturi, Carlisle walked up to her.

"Alice, what is it?"

Silently, she shook her head as she gasped and brought her hand to her mouth in shock.

Beside Bella, Edward grabbed her hand. Knowing that he had seen what Alice had, she turned to him.

"What's going on?"

"Bella," Alice answered for him, her voice shaken by what she had seen. "It's Charlie."

The name brought a flood of emotions to her. She hadn't seen him in nearly 16 years.

"Dad?" She gasped, the word foreign to her lips. "Wha...is he all right?"

Alice looked pleadingly to Edward, desperation in her eyes as she conveyed her thoughts. He nodded, taking Bella by both hands.

"There's been an accident," he told her. "He was attacked."

As Bella tried to wrap her mind around the fact, Carlisle spoke.

"Attacked? By whom?"

"A vampire," Alice replied.

"Oh my god," Esme breathed, her eyes fearful for Charlie and mourning for Bella.

"Is he...is he all right?"

Alice shrugged. "I...I don't know. The vision is spotty. I suspect that one of the wolves might have intervened."

She paused and sighed anxiously. "All I know is that there was a lot of blood and that he was with some Quileute's - Jacob Black's father and another one that I don't recognize."

"I do," Edward said, reading her thoughts and seeing the images in her head. "He resembles a relative that we made the original treaty with the Quilleute's with."

Bella ran her hand through her hair, as she digested what Alice and Edward had told her. Around her, the conversation continued.

"It must be the Volturi," Jasper said. "They're finally making a play towards the Quileute's."

Alice shook her head. "I don't think it's the Volturi. I haven't seen Aro, Caius or Marcus make a decision towards coming after the Quilleute's. They've been more concerned with the Romanians right now."

"This must have been just a random nomad," Edward concluded.

"I uh...I should go see him," Bella suddenly said, attention going back to her as she stared at the ground in shock.

Edward shook his head, taking her hand. "You can't, Love. It has been sixteen years since we've been to Forks and there's no doubt that someone there would recognize us and realize we haven't changed at all. We don't need people asking questions."

"Not only that but we assured the pack that we would never return," Carlisle added.

Bella sighed. "But this is Charlie we're talking about. I never really gave him a decent goodbye. I just disappeared without a trace. If he dies...if he dies, I know that I'll never forgive myself for leaving the way that I had."

Carlisle shook his head. "Bella, I know how you feel about your Dad, but I'm sorry. We can't."

"Bella, you knew that one day he'd die. Everyone we knew will one day die," Edward reminded her. "The cycle of life is inevitable."

Although the conversation ended and the day continued on, Bella couldn't help but think of Charlie. Her growing concern about how he was doing convinced her to take a chance and call Jacob. She slipped away, alone towards the nearest town in order to get cell reception.

She waited to hear that familiar voice that would always bring a smile to her face. Instead, she was greeted by a machine telling her that the number that she had dialed was no longer in service.

"Bella?"

She turned, seeing Alice behind her, no doubt she had a vision of her deciding to call Jacob Black. Bella rolled her eyes.

"Don't worry. The number no longer works. Jake must have changed it since I last talked to him."

Alice smiled. "Well, it has been sixteen years."

Bella chuckled. "Sixteen years...I forget how time has changed for everyone."

She sighed, looking back at Alice.

"I need to go see Charlie," Bella admitted. "If only to go to his grave or to find him alive in his home with Sue. I need to know."

Alice took Bella's hand and smiled. "Fine then. But I'm going with you."

Bella looked at her friend in surprise.

"I liked Charlie as well. Besides, I can't let you go looking like that."

"Looking like what?"

"Like Bella Swan."

Alice took a step closer to her.

"If we're going back to Washington and not be recognizable, we're going to have to change a few things."

Bella recognized that look on Alice's face; she was excited.

"How do you feel about going blonde?"

* * *

 ** _A/N - Thank you so much for the reviews and follows and favourites. I've been super busy this past week so that is the reason behind my delay in updating. I hope you're all enjoying the story! Please review!_**


	16. Chapter 16

**_A/N - Warning - long chapter ahead but trust me, it'll go by quickly._**

* * *

The tribal centre hadn't been so busy in a long time. The last time it had been so full of people coming to pay their respects to a member of the tribe had been when Harry Clearwater had passed away. Much like then, only a certain few would ever know the true reason behind Old Quil's death.

Old Quil had been a central figure in La Push for decades. People revered him as a man of wisdom yet only a few knew of the secrets of the tribe that he carried to his grave. Not only was he a grandfather and great-grandfather to Quil and his daughter, Joy, but Old Quil had become an honourary grandfather to many children within the tribe. He was a good friend and brother to a lot of people but none so much as to Billy Black and to Charlie Swan.

Billy watched in mournful silence as the drums beat out within the tribal centre. He knew that Charlie would be upset to have missed this.

By the obvious standing room only within the tribal centre, Billy wouldn't be surprised if every person in La Push was there. He looked to one side of him, seeing Rachel sitting with Paul next to her. Beside Paul, he could see his six grandchildren sitting quietly. At the far end of the row, Jo sat beside Liam, her arm around his shoulders as he leaned against her. Jacob sat along the outside aisle, holding Jo's hand.

In the row across from them, Sue sat with Leah on one side and Seth, along with his wife, Amanda and daughter, Hannah on the other side.

Frankly, he had been surprised to see Sue at the memorial. Billy had insisted that she stay with Charlie, as she had every day that week since the accident. Sue had been waiting for her husband to wake up and she was determined to be there when he first opened his eyes. But later when Sue would tell Billy that Charlie would've wanted her to be there on his behalf, he understood.

As elder and unofficial tribe chief, Billy was required to say a few words. Paul helped push his chair past Old Quil's family towards the podium. As he spoke, Billy's eyes seemed to scan the room, picking out the pack of boys who had grown into men and fathers, their families sitting beside them as they honoured a man whom they all held in high esteem.

The memorial service proceeded as Quil stood up to say a few words. For a man who had seen creatures that were fit for the pit of hell and held so much power within him, Quil appeared deflated and emotionally drained. It had been a rough couple of days for him and his family. At one point, Claire came up beside him, taking his hand. The simple gesture seemed to renew his strength just a little in order to make it through what he wanted to say without completely breaking down. To see a grown man talk so reverently about his grandfather brought tears to many eyes.

While the memorial had been open to the general public, the funeral itself was left to only family and Old Quil's closest friends. The wind blew up through the trees around La Push cemetary as the small group moved towards the newly dug plot. Nearly a century of Quileute's had been buried around them. Billy couldn't help but smile sadly towards Sarah Black's grave marker as Jacob pushed the wheel chair through the wet grass.

As he came to a stop, Billy looked out at the people who had moved to gather around him; the pack, all in attendance along with their families. It was just as Old Quil would've wanted.

The ceremony was short. Billy spoke aloud in his native language, quickly translating for the younger children who didn't fully comprehend the tongue of their people.

"His spirit is still with us," Billy said with his eyes closed as the wind blew once again. "As it is with all of our ancestors, they never leave us. All these people who have passed on, they may be silent but they still speak to us."

Billy opened his eyes and looked at Quil, seeing Claire holding tightly onto his hand. It was obvious that the man was trying his best to keep the tears at bay.

"You will always carry the spirit of your grandfather with you," Billy told him softly. "Never forget that."

Quil nodded silently.

As the ceremony came to a close, and the families began to disperse back to their cars, Jacob grabbed Paul by the shoulder, quietly asking if he'd push his Dad back. Quickly glancing back to where Quil stood over the grave with Claire at his side, Paul nodded, knowing that Jacob was wanting to speak to his friend.

Jacob then met Jo's eyes briefly before she nodded and walked with the kids, Paul, Rachel and Billy back to their cars.

Waiting a moment, Jacob turned and walked towards Quil. Never in his life had he seen the man so beaten. He hung onto Claire as though she was his lifeline. Part of him felt awkward intruding on them.

"Quil?"

He turned, quickly wiping his eyes before putting on a smile.

"Hey Jake."

Claire smiled at Jacob. Knowing that he most likely wanted to speak with her husband, she reached up and kissed Quil before letting him know that she'd wait for him the car. Quil nodded and both he and Jacob watched as Claire walked away.

Jacob cleared his throat before turning back to Quil beside him.

"I...uh, never had the chance to thank you for what you did that day."

Quil shrugged and scoffed, looking back at the closed casket sitting over the open grave, ready to be lowered. "I was too late.

Jacob shook his head.

"You were doing your job and it could have turned out a lot worse if you hadn't gotten there when you did."

Quil nodded.

"Claire's been saying the same thing. She's been trying to make me feel better."

"It would be wise to listen to her," Jacob said, with a smirk.

Quil smiled weakly before shaking his head.

"I'm have trouble believing it though. I still failed when it came to protecting our people."

"I don't think Old Quil would consider it to be a failure," Jacob said, looking over at the casket. "If he was here, he'd reach up and try to hit you up the top of the head for even thinking it."

Quil chuckled and nodded, tears in his eyes. "Oh, with that old man, I'm sure that he would."

Jacob laughed along with him and put his hand on Quil's shoulder in support, before silence fell over them for a moment as the wind picked up once again. Jacob took a deep intake of a breath before he spoke again.

"Quil, if you need anything, please let us know. You, Claire and Joy are family."

Quil nodded. "Thanks, Jake. I appreciate it."

Jacob could hear the lack of emotion in his friends voice. Quil was so much like him. He knew that even despite the offer, Quil wouldn't take the help even if he needed it. He was stubborn to a fault and a bit prideful. Jacob knew that he'd have to be a step ahead and be there for him, regardless.

When his own Mom had passed away, Jacob could remember not wanting to experience the feeling of vulnerability when it came to needing emotional support. And then when his sisters left La Push, and Billy's diabetes worsened, he suddenly had responsibilites that were far greater that that of someone his age. Again, he didn't want to feel like he owed anyone. Deep down, he had an inert desire to prove that he could handle the stress on his own. But Quil and Embry had stuck to him like glue, seeming to recognize and know him better than he did himself. They never pushed their way into helping him, they were somehow there when he needed the company.

If anything, Jacob wanted to be that for Quil.

"I'm planning on being back to work at the shop on Monday," Quil told him, as Jacob nodded.

"Don't worry about patrol either. I'm sure that Brady wouldn't mind filling in for a bit longer."

"Naw, I'm good. Besides, Brady said that he's gotta work on the weekends."

"I'll join you tonight then. It'd be just like old times."

Quil snorted with a chuckle. "You? Jake, you haven't phased in years. I wonder if your body could even handle it. Do you even remember how to phase?

"Come on! You're making it sound like I'm old. It's just like riding a bike - you never forget," Jacob told him with a smirk before sighing. "Besides, I think because of what happened, having a leech near our land, I've been feeling antsy. I need to stretch my legs a bit."

"I know what you mean. I noticed a change in the air long before the accident. Something's going on."

Jacob looked over at Quil, concern crossing his face. He knew that his friend was more connected with his wolf and with what he sensed, being that he phased far more often than any of the pack combined.

"What do you mean?"

Quil shrugged. "I don't understand it. The wolf is anxious and excited at the same time. I don't know how many times Claire has sent me out to run because my fidgeting was driving her crazy."

"Why didn't you mention it before?"

"I figured it wasn't anything," he admitted. "I was thinking maybe it was just a change in weather that the wolf had been sensing. It's been unusually warm and the air pressure just changed a few days ago with the jet stream."

Jacob nodded, knowing how intuned he could be with the weather. But this seemed to be something more than just a change in the barometric pressure.

"But since the leech came near our land, I can't help but wonder if this is the beginning of something. This attack seemed different. We still don't know what he was doing circling La Push before heading straight for your Dad, Charlie and Grandpa. And unfortunately, Billy still doesn't recall much of that day and Charlie being asleep in a coma can't help answer any of those questions."

Jacob sighed. "My guess is that when he does wake up, he'll have questions of his own."

"Jake, you know that it was never my intention of letting Charlie see me as a wolf," Quil explained, as Jacob put up his hands.

"I know and it's all right. In my opinion, Charlie should have been told about us a long time ago. The only problem with that is that it would lead to some unpleasant conversations."

Quil knew the type of conversations that would come up. Talking about the wolves would lead to the topic of the vampires which would ultimately bring them to the history of the pack and the treaty with the Cullen's. In the end, it would bring them to Bella and Edward and then her fate after marrying him. It was a conversation that Jacob knew his Dad wasn't looking forward to but would eventually have to go to now that Charlie had seen Quil in wolf form.

"If Charlie had known about the pack years ago, things certainly could have turned out differently."

Jacob snorted. "I don't think Charlie could have changed Bella's mind. She was so selfish in her ways that she would've left Charlie high and dry with that leech regardless of what anyone said."

"You're probably right."

Quil paused and looked over at Jacob.

"Do you ever think about her?"

Jacob quickly looked at Quil, surprised, shocked and offended that he even asked. Quil instantly knew what Jacob thought he was implying and quickly covered his tracks.

"Look, man, I've spent enough time in your head in the past to know that your imprint connection with Jo cut off any emotional ties to Bella, but do you ever think about what could have happened to her or where she could be?"

He turned and looked at the casket in front of them before he sighed.

"At first I did," he began. "When Charlie was looking for her for all those years, I couldn't help but wonder about where she was and if she was happy. But she chose that life and unfortunately, because of it, she had to leave Charlie and everyone who she ever knew."

"Betcha Charlie will be pissed when he finds out that Cullen's are bloodsuckers and she was stupid enough to marry him and then become one herself," Quil stated.

Jacob snorted. "He'll be livid and I wouldn't blame him."

Quil laughed.

"If any of the Cullen's dared to come back to Forks, Charlie would surely be the first to greet them with the barrel of his rifle."

Jacob joined in with his laughter. "I'd pay to see that. Hell, I'd join him."

"I'd imagine there would be a good group of us who'd get in line."

Jacob nodded, looking down at Old Quil's coffin.

"If another leach ever comes on our land, it'll be too soon."

* * *

Within a month of Old Quil's funeral, everyone fell back into routine; everyone except for Sue Swan. Every day she sat vigil beside Charlie while back in La Push it was business as usual. Jacob, Embry and Quil worked hard within the small shop, their music blaring out into the woods, while Jo would shout at them from the office to turn it down whenever the phone would ring. Quil was still running daily patrols around La Push but there had been no further sightings or evidence of vampires on or near their land. Life seemed to have returned back to normal.

With school being out, children played, rode bikes and enjoyed the freedom that came with the summer. Paul and Sam kept busy with their construction business now that the summer heat had arrived. The Cameron's Gas and Variety business was booming with people coming onto the Rez for gas from Forks on their way to spend a day at the beach. Sue's diner had the same crowd coming in to grab take-out. On a good day, the population within La Push easily doubled itself and the diner would be crowded.

While Sue sat with Charlie in the hospital, Emily Uley took care of the diner, telling Sue that she could manage it for as long as needed and at the moment, no one knew how long it would be. According to the doctors, Charlie's medical state hadn't changed. His surgical incisions had healed up nicely and despite the trauma he had gone through, the doctors still couldn't figure out why he hadn't woken up. Although they warned Sue that there was a possibility that he may never wake up, she refused to listen to them and instead still spent most of her time at the hospital, ignoring the pitying glances she'd receive from a few nurses.

Concerned that Sue wasn't eating well with the added stress of not only Charlie's condition but also the increasing medical bills, a number of families in La Push and even from the Forks Police Department took it upon themselves to bring meals to the Swan's house every other day. The Uley's had arranged for a casserole to be brought over to Charlie and Sue's place that night. Before she left for the diner, Emily had instructed her daughter, Liz to bring it over sometime in the morning before she took off for the day.

Seeing as it was a beautiful day, Liz decided to walk over, even though the trip was a good twenty minute jaunt from their part of La Push. She didn't mind. Liz enjoyed the sounds and smells that blew up onto the road from the trees. Besides, she had the time. Her boyfriend, Kyle wasn't supposed to be at her house for another hour, giving her just enough time to make it there and back with time to spare.

Liz was excited to see him. They had made plans to drive up to Port Angeles for the day to enjoy a flea market that Liz had been wanting to go to. She knew that Kyle wasn't as thrilled as she was, but he had told her that he'd be happy to just spend the day, holding her hand.

As she turned the corner and the Swan's house came into view, she sighed. The house looked as though no one was home. The only car in the driveway was Charlie's cruiser that hadn't moved in over a month. It was no surprise that the truck was gone; Sue took it to Forks when she went to visit Charlie each day. Liz had hoped that Leah would've been home, but it appeared that her SUV was missing as well. Still, she walked up to the house to knock on the door just in case.

As she approached the front door, a rhythmic beat echoed from just beyond the tree line behind the Swan's house. She paused and listened as the solid beat continued, pausing every few seconds before starting once again. Liz recognized it as she had heard that familiar sound countless times whenever her Dad or Talon would be out back chopping wood.

Liz made her way around back and saw a worn path from the stacked pile of chopped wood next to Charlie's open shed heading out towards the treeline. As she neared the woods, the sound of someone singing incredibly off key echoed along with a forceful grunt that accompanied each chopping sound. She smiled as she recognized the voice, yet when she saw the boy that she had grown up alongside, she couldn't believe the change that she saw before her. Nate no longer looked like the lanky boy she knew. It was obvious that puberty had finally caught up with him, much as it had with her younger brother, Talon. And just like her brother, Nate had filled out.

Keeping out of the way, she called his name once before she realized that in his ears were earbuds which was undoubtedly playing music very loudly.

As Nate set up another piece of wood on the old chopping stump, Liz watched at how fluid his movements were when he swung the ax. It seemed as though he was barely putting any effort into it. It was obvious that all the yard work involved in his punishment were having an effect on his body. If Liz had been truthful with herself, she would have admitted that she was actually checking out Nathaneal Black; the same boy who had once thrown mud in her face and whom she had teased for looking like a girl with his shoulder length hair. Now, she had to admit that it looked attractive on him. Nate had it pulled back away from his face as a sheen of sweat coated his forehead. He paused for a moment, wiping his face with the short sleeve of his shirt before picking up the chunks of wood and tossed them into a growing pile off to the side.

Shaking herself out of thoughts and quickly replacing them with Kyle's smiling face who was suppose to be picking her up within the hour, she carefully walked around the pile of wood, ensuring that she was leaving an adequate space away from where Nate was chopping wood. Liz was determined to get Nate's attention so that she could give him the casserole to pass onto Sue and then head home.

"Nate!" She called again, and once again he didn't hear her. This time, she could see his face as his mouth moved to the words that he was singing softly.

Liz wasn't going to get any closer while Nate had an ax in his hand.

She looked at the ground and found a stone. Holding the casserole in one hand, she gently tossed the stone towards Nate, hitting him in the arm. It undoubtedly caught his attention as he grimaced and lowered the ax in his hand to look at what had just hit him. When he looked up and saw her standing ten feet away, Liz smiled and waved before gesturing to her ears.

Nate quickly reached for the earbuds in his ears, pulling them out as he apologized.

"Liz! I didn't see you there," he said, smiling.

"It's fine," she shrugged, as she walked towards him. "I just came by to drop off this casserole for Aunt Sue."

It was then that he noticed the glass container covered in tin foil.

"I don't think anyone is inside the house though."

Nate nodded. "Yeah, Aunt Lee left to get groceries about a half hour ago. She should be back soon. But I can take it inside and put in the fridge."

He reached out to take it from Liz when he noticed how filthy his hands and forearms were. Chopping wood, pushing the wheelbarrow back and forth and stacking the wood all morning left him covered in dirt. Liz smiled.

"Uh...on second thought, why don't I bring it inside."

Nate chuckled.

"That's probably a good idea," he said, stepping back towards the chopping stump. He swung the ax around, planting it firmly into the wood. "I'll come along with you. It's gotta be close to lunch."

Liz looked at her watch and began to walk out from the woods, with Nate following behind. "It is just about 11:45."

"I knew that I was getting hungry for a reason."

The morning sun had disappeared beneath the cloud cover as they made their way towards the back door. Nate looked up at the sky as he opened the back door for Liz.

"It looks like we might be getting some rain soon."

Liz snorted, as she walked past him into the house. "It's just clouding over. There's no rain in the forecast for the next two days."

"I wouldn't be too certain of that."

While Liz went to put the casserole into the fridge, Nate washed his hands and arms in the kitchen sink. His eyes travelled over to where Liz was bending over, making space in on the shelves for the casserole. Her long straight hair fell over her shoulder as she reached into the fridge. Liz wasn't very tall, but the jean cutoffs she wore accentuated her legs among other features. Nate chastised himself and pinched his eyes shut as he focused back on scrubbing the dirt from his nails.

Liz was a friend, as close as a sister and never once had he thought of her as anything more and he'd be damned if he were to start now.

The sound of the fridge door closing caused him to open his eyes as he continued to scrub.

"Could you tell Aunt Sue that Mom said it's to go in at 400 degrees for about a half hour or so?"

Nate nodded, before glancing over at Liz. "Sure."

As an odd silence fell over the kitchen, Liz shoved her hands into her short pockets before smiling.

"Well, I'm going to head back. Hope you get all your chopping done for Chief Swan before it gets dark."

Nate nodded once again. "Yeah, me too."

"Well, see ya," Liz said, before walking behind Nate back towards the back door.

"See ya," he replied softly, just as the back door closed.

Nate sighed. Never had a conversation with Liz ever been so uncomfortable. Awkward, yes, but never uncomfortable. Those awkward conversations would end with them laughing at themselves. This time, it was as though something had shifted between them. They had been close growing up and although their friendship wasn't like it had been once they hit twelve years old, never once had there been so...strange. Nate quickly decided that he didn't like the feeling and was determined to do something about it.

Nate looked out the window and towards the horizon where increasing clouds began to come off the ocean. Quickly shutting off the water, he dried his hands on the small dish towel before heading to the back door, grabbing Charlie's old umbrella as he pushed open the screen door.

He jogged towards the road and looked towards the way Liz would've come, surprised to see that she was no where in sight. Somewhat surprised and unusually concerned, he quickly turned when he saw her walking towards the old path through the woods. A feeling of overwhelming relief rushed through him before he jogged across the vast yard, calling her name.

Liz came to a stop and turned when she heard her name being called. She was surprised to see that it was Nate who was jogging towards her, coming to a stop in front of her.

"What are you doing?"

Liz gestured to the path, as though it was obvious. "Taking the path home."

"But you're going through the woods? I thought that you didn't like the woods."

Not too many people knew of that fear and even fewer knew of the reason behind it all. Although the events that led to her being so afraid of the woods were deemed to be a hallucination, Liz couldn't help but still be afraid. Images, such as a giant wolf and ghostly figures that appear and disappear in a blink of an eye were hard to ignore. But she wanted to ensure that she'd be home long before Kyle arrived to pick her up.

Liz nodded. "I just need to get back home quickly and this is faster than the road."

Nate nodded in understanding.

"If there was a car here, I'd offer to drive you home."

"It's okay, Nate. It's a nice day and I don't mind walking."

"Well, at least take Charlie's umbrella," Nate said, holding it out towards her. "Then, you'll have it when it rains."

Liz chuckled.

"I really doubt it'll rain."

"I'm pretty certain that it will," Nate told her, looking up at the canopy above them. Through the leaves they could see the cloudy sky. He looked back at Liz, holding the umbrella out towards her.

"Trust me."

With a sigh, Liz took he umbrella from him.

As much as she wanted to get back home quickly, at the same time, she wasn't too keen on making the trek through the woods. Seemingly able to read her thoughts, Nate spoke.

"Would you mind if I walked with you?" He asked. "It would give me a break from chopping wood and I can bring the umbrella back."

"You mean, the umbrella that I wont be needing," Liz added with a smirk.

Nate crossed his arms and chuckled. "You sound so sure of yourself."

"That's because I'm right."

"Fine then," Nate said with a nod. "I'll bet you...five dollars that it will rain before we get back to your house."

Nate stuck out his hand for her to shake as Liz laughed. Knowing that it was a sure-win, she shook Nate's hand before he stepped back, allowing her to lead the way through the woods.

They walked for a few minutes, making their way around the large trees and low lying ferns back towards the Uley's property.

"You know, we never came up with a wager in the event that it doesn't rain," Liz said, glancing over at Nate walking beside her.

"There's no point," Nate told her decidedly with a smile. "It's going to rain."

"Whatever," she mumbled. "I'd like to get something out of this friendly bet. If it doesn't rain, you'll have to..."

Nate laughed and stopped walking, Liz coming to a stop beside him. "Liz, you can make any wager you want and I'll accept it cause irregardless, it's going to rain and you'll be owing me five dollars."

Liz grunted and crossed her arms as she grimaced. Being the only girl among her siblings had made her naturally competitive and the prospect of loosing when she was so certain of something frustrated her. The fact that Nate was rubbing it in her face brought out her more conspiring side.

"Okay then, if it doesn't rain, you'll have to...strip naked and run into the ocean at First Beach."

Nate snorted. "That's it? I did that last summer with Ryan, Jonah, Derek and Talon."

"You did?"

Nate nodded and rolled his eyes.

"It was some crazy dare that Ryan made to Derek and Jonah. Tal and I agreed to do it with him and dragged Ry with us. It was stupid cause the water temperature was frickin' cold!"

Liz chuckled before she took in a deep breath and began to think.

"Okay then...I'll think of something you've never done or you wouldn't dare to do."

Nate snickered and began walking ahead, allowing Liz to think.

"If you need a suggestion, I can kiss you if it doesn't rain!" Nate shouted over his shoulder with a chuckle. "That's something I've never done or ever been dared to do."

Hearing no objection from someone so certain that it wasn't going to rain, he stopped walking and turned, seeing a sudden redness flush over Liz's face.

"Actually, you have," she told him softly, walking up the path once again and coming up beside him. "I think we were four or five at the time."

Nate shook his head.

"I don't remember that."

Liz nodded. "We were starting kindergarten and my Mom brought me into the classroom. She said that I was crying and you came over to see me since you were the only one who I really knew. You held my hand and kissed my cheek to make me feel better."

Nate snorted and smirked. "Well, I don't know if that qualifies, being that we were in kindergarten."

"Still, I don't think it would be a good idea," she admitted. "I do have a boyfriend."

"Oh yeah," Nate said with a roll of the eyes. "The boyfriend...what's his name again?..."

"..Kyle," Liz quickly replied with a teasing glare before she poked Nate in his chest. "And don't make fun of him."

Nate held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm not making fun of the guy," he told her. "I honestly forgot his name."

Liz wasn't convinced. She crossed her arms as she walked along. "Yeah, right."

Nate chuckled as they continued on their way down the path. They had walked another dozen feet before Nate felt the first few drops of water breaking through the canopy above. He paused and turned to Liz, a bright smile on his face.

Liz took a few more steps before she stopped and looked at him, confused.

"What?"

Without saying a word, Nate held his hands out, palm up.

"Pay up."

"Huh?"

"It's raining," he replied, proudly.

Liz looked up at the treetops, feeling a drop of water hit her face. Before she had a chance to reply, it was as if the sky opened up.

Quickly, Nate opened up the umbrella as Liz put her hands over her head in a futile attempt to keep dry. With each passing second, they were getting drenched. The moment he had the umbrella open, Liz squeezed up beside him. Unfortunatley, the umbrella inverted overtop of them.

"Dammit," Nate cursed as Liz laughed while the rain poured down over them.

Liz's hair was already soaked and dripping wet. She was glad that she was wearing her sandals.

"We're going to have to run," she shouted over the sound of the rain pouring down around them.

Together, they ran down the path, their feet squishing in the thick mud beneath their feet. A few times, they slowed down to walk carefully as their feet sucked into the muddy trail. There was no longer any point in running as they were already soaked to the skin anyways.

As Nate trekked along, he tugged at his leg since his workboot had gotten stuck in the mud. Pulling a bit too hard, he brought his foot right out of the boot and quickly lost his balance, falling to the ground and landed on his ass.

Mud covered Nate's entire backside and down his legs including his socked foot that had pulled out of his workboot.

While Nate grimaced as he sat in the cold, wet mud, Liz laughed loudly at her friend. After a few seconds, she kindly held out her hand towards Nate in an offer to help him up. With a smirk, Nate grabbed ahold of her outstretched hand, slapping a handful of mud into her palm.

Startled by his action and the coldness, she quickly pulled her hand back and grimaced while Nate howled in laughter as he carefully stood up in the mud. With one boot on, he grabbed the other one from the mud and pulled it free. Just as he stood back up, a handful of mud hit him smack dead centre on his chest.

Although it didn't hurt, it did catch Nate by surprise. Liz's laughter echoed over the sound of the pouring rain as she rubbed her wet hands together to get the remains of the mud off. Nate looked up to see her smiling triumphantly back at him. When she caught the devious expression on Nate's face, her smile faded. She seemed to know exactly what he had planned.

"Nathaneal Black! Don't you dare!"

He smirked as he bent over and picked up a handful of mud between his two hands.

"Nate! No!"

"Oh, you started this Elizabeth Uley," he teased, taking some awkward and uneasy steps out of the thick, wet mud towards where Liz was currently trying to get around the large puddle.

In her effort to get away, Liz slipped, landing on her hands and knees in the mud. While Nate made his way over to Liz, he couldn't stop laughing as she attempted to quickly stand up in the slippery puddle with no success. From Nate's perspective, she looked like a baby deer that was just learning how to walk.

"You jackass," she mumbled. "This isn't funny."

Nate nodded, rain water dripping off his bangs and down his face. "Oh, it most certainly is."

Feeling a bit sorry for Liz, he finally held his hand out to her, offering to help pull her up. Knowing what happened last time when she reached for his hand, Liz stared at it for a second.

"No tricks this time," Nate assured her, his expression and voice serious.

Except Liz wasn't promising him the same thing.

She grabbed ahold of his hand and true to his word, Nate pulled her up to her feet.

"Thanks," Liz said tapping Nate on the cheek with her palm coated in mud, instantly covering half of his face with it. "I appreciate it."

Nate sputtered, having gotten some of the mud in his mouth before he used his dirty hands to wipe the mud from his face.

"Okay, that's it," he told her with a grin, before he quickly bent over and picked up a handful of mud.

Their laughter continued and it was nearly fifteen minutes later before they finally emerged from the woods.

Having heard their approach, Sam walked out onto the front porch and crossed his arms.

"What in the world?" He breathed, a smile tugging at the sides of his mouth upon seeing his daughter and a boy he had known for his entire life walk towards him, covered nearly head to toe in mud. It was a sight he had never seen and Sam was certain that he'd never see it again.

Sam's initial assumption was that there had been some sort of argument that caused them to be covered in mud. He knew Liz was more reserved and wouldn't voluntarily get into such a mess. She was always the one to stay out of trouble and avoid conflict. The only conclusion he could come up with was that Liz and Nate had gotten into a fight. But based on the smiles on both of their faces and their failed attempts at stiffling their laughter, Sam quickly dismissed the thought.

"Hey Dad," Liz said, nonchallantly with a wide smile. Nate smiled along with her, the whites of his teeth a bright contrast to the mud on his face.

"Lizzie," he acknowledged before looking at the boy beside her. "Nate, I thought you were working at Charlie and Sue's this week."

"Yes, Mr. Uley. I was just walking Liz back home."

Sam nodded. "And that explains why you're both covered in mud, carrying a broken umbrella and Nate, you're only wearing one boot?"

"It's a long story," Liz told him, looking down at the inverted umbrella in her hand before glancing at Nate beside her who held one of his boots in his hands.

Sam was quickly loosing at his attempt at keeping a straight face.

"I'm sure that it is. Either way, your Mom would kill me if I let you in the house like that. Go wash up with the hose on the side of the house. I'll get some towels."

As he spoke, Talon suddenly appeared from behind him. Talon expression of surprise quickly turned to a smile as he howled in laughter at the sight of his big sister and one of his best friends standing in the rain, covered in mud.

"Oh my God! I need to find my camera! Nate, that's a good look on you! It's an improvement to your old face."

Hearing his son's laughter, Sam's smile broke as he chuckled along with him.

"Ha, ha. Very funny," Nate quipped back as Sam turned to Talon.

"Go and get some of your clothes for Nate," he told his son. "There's no way I'm giving him a ride back to Charlie and Sue's in my truck soaking wet."

"Sure, Dad," Talon said, as he continued to chuckle. He glanced at Liz before looking back at Nate.

"Glad there's someone who can get Little Miss Perfect to lighten up a bit."

Sam quickly turned to Talon, sending him a piercing glare.

"Talon, get the clothes," he told him firmly.

Talon silently made his way into the house before Sam stared out to where Nate was now standing alone. Liz had already made her way around the side of the house. Sending Sam a weak smile, Nate went around to where Liz was standing beside a row of rose bushes, holding the hose over her arms. She awkwardly tried to rub it at the same time.

"Here, let me hold it," Nate said, grabbing the hose from her.

Liz smiled weakly before she began to rub her arms and shoulders vigorously in order to get the mud off. The rain never relented while they were outside and had prevented the mud from drying and thicken.

She turned around and he sprayed her back before she reached for her hair and squeezed the dirty water out of it.

"I'm going to have to take a shower to get this all out," she said. "I'm going to have to hurry or I'm going to be late."

"Late for what?"

"Uh, Kyle's picking me up shortly and we're going to Port Angeles."

Nate understood. "OH, that's why you wanted to get back quickly."

Liz nodded. "There's that huge indoor flea market at the civic centre..."

"Oh yeah, my Dad was talking about that. My Mom and Sarah were wanting to go. You gotta let them know how it is."

"Sure," Liz told him, before she turned around satisfied with the amount of mud she had gotten off of herself. She reached out and grabbed the hose.

"I can hold it for you."

"No, I'm good. I'm going to help you out and then I'm going to run in to get a quick shower," Liz insisted. "Turn around."

Following her direction, Nate turned and stood as Liz sprayed the water on his back and on the back of his legs. As he stood, he slipped his other foot from his boot and kicked it to the side, leaving him barefoot.

"I think your shirt may be permanently stained," Liz said, as he felt the water spraying on his back. "It's not coming out."

"Seriously? I just bought it a week ago."

Without saying another word, Nate pulled his shirt over his head and turned so that he could put it under the hose in hopes that Liz was wrong in her conclusion. He was so focused on soaking the shirt with the water and squeezing it out that Nate didn't feel Liz's eyes on him.

She had noticed that he had gone through a growth spurt, but she didn't notice the muscles on his chest and upper arms before. Feeling her cheek's heat up, she quickly looked back down at the shirt that Nate was in the process of wringing out.

"I hope it comes out," Nate said. "My folks can't afford to get new clothes right now."

"You outgrew your old ones?"

Nate shrugged and smirked. "Must be these awesome Black family genes combined with a months worth of daily yard work."

Liz nodded in understanding. "Talon's gone through a growth spurt too. He's been taller than me since he was fourteen, but only recently he's filled out. He hasn't been doing as much work as you though."

"But, look at your Dad," Nate suggested. "He's not a scrawny guy. It makes sense that Tal would eventually get some muscle on him as well."

Liz nodded. "You're right. It just seems like it happened overnight. My little brother goes to bed one day looking like a kid and then wakes up, and he's...like you. I've seen girls checking him out too. It's just wierd to think of someone thinking about my brother that way."

Nate chuckled.

"Nothing wierd about that," he said. "I mean, I bet you even checked me out at one point."

Liz's eyes widened as her mouth dropped. She was flabbergasted that he even said it before she laughed awkwardly.

"Oh, you wish."

Nate laughed, before Liz left him to go inside, leaving him to finish washing up on his own.

He took a few more minutes to clean himself up. Nate bent over, allowing the hose water to go through his hair, until it came out clear. Finally satisfied that he was clean enough, he turned off the tap and grabbed his water-logged boots and shirt before heading back towards the front porch. Upon coming around the house, he noticed a car that hadn't been there before. On the porch, he could see Mr. Uley speaking with a blond haired guy.

As he made his approach, Sam seemed to notice him and reached over to the patio chair to grab a towel. He passed it to Nate as he stepped out of the rain and onto the porch.

"I was wondering what was keeping you," Sam said, his eyes scanning Nate's face and then his chest while Nate ran the towel over his disheveled hair.

"Took me longer than I thought," Nate told him.

Sam smirked before turning to the blond haired guy beside him.

"Nate, you've met Kyle, right?"

"Oh," Nate said, pausing in his drying of his hair and pulled the towel from his head. "Liz's Kyle. No, not formally yet."

"Kyle Hanson," he said, holding out his hand towards Nate before he shook it.

"Nate Black."

Kyle appeared comfortable in his jeans and sweater and his hair was perfectly arranged on his head and based on the strong scent of collogne, he may have sprayed his entire body with it. His shoes were clean and Nate was certain that he had seen a similar pair at a store in Port Angeles in the Spring that surely cost a lot more than any pair that he ever had.

He paused and looked at Nate as he stood barefoot and half naked in front of him.

"Did you get caught in the rain?"

Nate chuckled and shook his head.

"No, I was just washing the mud off with the hose."

"Mud?"

"Yeah, Liz and I did some mud wrestling out back. She's got a mean head lock."

By the expression on Nate's face, Kyle wasn't certain whether to take it serious or not. He knew Liz wouldn't do something like that, but at the same time, he had just seen his girlfriend come running past him into the house, saying something about washing off the rest of the mud in the shower.

Sam laughed, clapping Kyle on the shoulder.

"He's pulling your leg."

"Yeah, sorry man," Nate said, with a chuckle. "I'm just messing with you. I was just walking Liz home and we were caught in the rain and we slipped into a puddle on our way here."

Nate didn't feel the need to explain that it was more than just slipping in mud. Kyle already seemed suspicious of everything he said.

Kyle nodded.

Sam looked between the two young men before excusing himself to find out where Talon was with Nate's dry clothes. Meanwhile, Nate continued to dry himself off before picking up his boots and turning them upside down in a feeble attempt to get started on drying them out.

"She talks about you a lot," Kyle suddenly said, causing Nate to look over at him. "Liz was really worried when you had that allergic reaction at the restaurant a month or so back."

Nate smiled weakly. "Yeah, we've known each other for our whole lives. Unfortunately she's been witness to many of my reactions and asthma attacks."

Kyle thought for a moment, put his hands into his pockets as he looked out off the porch into the pouring rain before turning back towards Nate, watching as he sat down in the patio chair to dry off his legs.

"So, what really happened out there?"

Nate paused and looked up at Kyle.

"Excuse me?"

"When you and Liz were out in the woods."

Nate snorted. "Nothing more than what I told you. Why?"

Kyle sighed, looking out into the rain.

"I saw Liz's face when she ran by me to go into the house," Kyle said. "She wouldn't look at me."

Nate thought back to the last things he had said to her and concluded that he probably embarrassed her by teasing her the way that he had.

Nate shrugged. "I wouldn't worry about it. All I know is that she really cares about you."

Kyle looked over towards Nate, meeting the young man's eyes.

"She said that?"

"Not in so many words. We had made a bet and I told her that if it didn't rain, she could kiss me. She didn't go for it."

Nate's eyes widened for a moment while Nate stood up.

"You've got nothing to be concerned about."

"I was just thinking that maybe something was going on between you two."

"Me and Liz? Hell no!" Nate exclaimed with a laugh. "Well, there was that time we went skinny dipping."

Once again, Kyle's eyes widened before Nate chuckled, clapping Kyle on the shoulder.

"Relax man, you need to lighten up a bit. We were a year old and it was in a kiddie pool. Liz is like my sister," he said, his smile fading, as he stared evenly into Kyle's eyes.

A darkness seemed to cloud them as his stare pierced Kyle's gaze.

"And as such, if you so much as hurt her, I'll disembowel you and arrange to have your body cut up into so many pieces and spread them out around the reservation so that you'll never be found, nor will you ever be missed."

Kyle smirked and chuckled. "You're messing with me again, aren't you?"

"No, I'm being completely serious. I care about her too. Probably more than you do considering I'd be willing to get rid of you if you so much as put your hand on her."

Sensing that something had changed on the porch, Sam quickly walked out with clothes in his hands, his eyes on Nate as the young man glared darkly at Kyle. Kyle did his own share of staring down Nate. But it was the look in Nate's eyes that frightened Sam. He recognized it.

Nate meant business and he was serious.

To make matters worse, Talon walked out behind him and seemed amused by the conversation that was transpiring on the porch.

"What's going on out here?" Sam asked, his voice being one that he had long reserved for whenever there had been arguments between the pack. For some reason, he felt the need to bring that authority to the surface.

To his surprise, it was Kyle who responded.

"Nothing sir," he said, peeling his eyes away from Nate's piercing glare. "Nate and I were just having a friendly chat between friends."

Sam looked between the pair, waiting for Nate to back down.

"Nathaneal?"

A smile slowly appeared on Nate's face.

"Yeah, he's right. It's just a friendly chat."

Sam nodded.

"Nate, I've got some clothes for you and I've some lunch for myself, Talon and Shawn. You're welcome to join us and then I could give you a ride back to Charlie and Sue's after."

"Sure, thanks," he said, gently taking the clothes that Sam offerred to him.

Talon opened the door for Nate and followed him into the house, leaving Sam and Kyle outside.

"Liz will be out shortly," he told him. "Are you good to wait out here?"

Sam prayed that Kyle would agree. Based on how the conversation had been going between Kyle and Nate outside, he didn't want a continuation of that inside.

Kyle nodded and sat on the patio chair while Sam went back inside.

Within a few minutes, Liz came out of the bathroom, freshly showered and clean. Her Dad and brothers along with Nate were sitting at the kitchen table when she walked by. She said her goodbyes to her Dad and brothers and then thanked Nate for walking her home and briefly commented on how both Nate and Talon wore the same size clothes before she went outside to take off with Kyle.

Sam watched as the boys ate, and listened to the conversations and laughter while he casually read the newspaper at the end of the table. He had noticed that Talon had gotten bigger in size but it took Nate's presence for him to compare that both boys had gone through a growth spurt at the same rate. It was just too much of a coincidence. And if what he had witnessed outside between Kyle and Nate wasn't a confirmation that something was going on, he didn't know what would.

When they had finished eating, Sam asked Talon if he could give Nate a ride back to Charlie and Sue's citing that he had some work that had wanted to get done. Talon didn't seem to upset to do it for him. The boys got along and enjoyed each other's company.

No sooner had he heard the truck pull away from the house and knew that Shawn was out of earshot, he picked up the phone and dialed.

"Jake? Yeah, it's Sam. I think we may have a problem."

* * *

 ** _A/N - Well, that was a long one - do you prefer the longer chapters?_**

 ** _I really enjoyed writing this chapter, despite it taking a bit longer than usual. Let me know if you liked reading it. Things are going to start picking up now._**

 ** _Please review! :)_**


	17. Chapter 17

Billy sat on the back porch with his newspaper open between his hands, occasionally glancing up from the words to watch his two grandsons, Nate and Ryan work in his yard. They had been busy all morning and into the afternoon, mowing the front and back lawn and chopping firewood before arranging them in a neat pile behind the house. What was a punishment for the two boys had become a benefit for Billy. Not only was he getting much needed outside work done, but he was also able to keep an eye on the two boys.

The impromptu meeting a few days prior between the elders and the wolf pack was a concerning one. To hear that his oldest grandson had suddenly become aggressive towards Liz Uley's boyfriend and that a few were starting to notice Nate suddenly gaining muscle mass was not what he had expected. Although he knew that working outside for nearly a month would have certainly explained the increased Nate's physique, the aggression is what really worried him. Nate had always been even-keeled and slow to anger. He had wondered if perhaps Liz's boyfriend had said something to provoke Nate to become defensive. When Sam shook his head and explained that Nate was being protective in the sense that he went as far as to threaten her boyfriend, that shocked him. It simply wasn't like Nate.

No one wanted to conclude that Nate was showing signs and symptoms of an impending phase. But it seemed to be staring them all right in the face.

As silence had fallen over the elders and the pack, it was Sam who finally spoke up and suggested that Nate may not be the only one who may be showing symptoms. Both he and Emily had noticed a growth spurt in their son, Talon as well as his erratic mood swings. One by one, the rest of the pack nodded and explained how they had also suspected something was going on with their own sons but didn't think to draw any type of conclusion being that there hadn't been any reports of vampires in the vicinity of La Push for over a month.

By the end, they surmised that besides Nate Black and Talon Uley, but there was also Ryan Lahote, Jonah Cameron and Derek Call who were all showing signs as well.

Thinking back to when Jacob was Nate's age, it had been so obvious; the heightened aggression, the growth spurt, the increased muscle mass. They had been expecting it with the Cullen's return to Forks. But this time, it hadn't been on his radar at all. This time, there were no resident vampires living nearby. There were no reasons as to why this should be happening again. Billy was concerned for his grandsons, and frankly, because of what they knew about Leah and Jo, he was concerned for his granddaughters as well. The teens had no clue what they could be facing and the pack had no choice but to watch and wait.

The elders united decision to not inform any of the pack's kids of the truth behind the legends prior to the first phase wasn't well received. Billy wasn't expecting it to be, but he felt as though his hands were tied. It was the same law that had been implemented back to when Ephraim Black was still alive. He had made the decision in order to keep any future wolves safe from a world that they weren't ready to fully comprehend.

Billy remembered how awful he had felt in having to tell Jacob that he had known what was happening to him, but because of a law that his grandfather had made, he couldn't say a word. It had made his relationship between himself and Jacob to be very tense for a while. It was no surprise that even now, Jacob was against that mandate. Billy could see how angry he was the night of the meeting. He couldn't blame him. As much as Billy wanted to revoke that directive, he felt as though he was dishonouring his grandfather by going against his wishes. In the end, the elders offerred to have a bonfire following the bazaar the next weekend in which they would retell the legends and certain untold histories of the tribe to the pack and their children.

While Paul and a few others scoffed bitterly and complained at the seemingly feeble suggestion, Jacob quickly turned his eyes towards the certain members of the pack, instantly bringing silence to them. The Alpha within him automatically rose to the surface. Although a bonfire wasn't what they were wanting, it was better than nothing. In the meantime, they were all to keep an eye on the boys and report to Jacob the moment anything changed.

As Billy watched Nate work around his yard, he had a suspicion that his oldest grandson would be the first. It wasn't just his reaction to Liz's boyfriend that caused him to come to that conclusion. It simply seemed to be the logical chain of events, considering his bloodline. Still, to Billy, it seemed as though they were all watching ticking time bombs, not knowing when or who was going to explode first.

"I can't believe you haven't called that girl back yet!" Ryan suddenly exclaimed in disbelief. He had yelled loud enough that Billy could hear his voice from where the boys were chopping and stacking wood near the edge of the property. It had quickly brought Billy out of his thoughts and back to the sounds of his back yard.

"She obviously liked you enough to give you her number."

Billy watched as Nate laughed before he picked up a water bottle off the ground.

"Or she was piss drunk!"

Ryan joined in the laughter before dropping the ax beside him in time to catch the water bottle that Nate tossed to him. He had long abandonned his shirt, and had dropped it with Nate's far away from where they were making a mess. Both of the boys were filthy, their chests and stomachs covered in saw dust and dirt. With his hair pulled back beneath an old ball cap, Nate walked over to where Ryan had paused to take a drink. He held out his hand towards Ryan, silently asking for the bottle in his hands. Instead, his cousin scowled at him.

"Get your own, man," Ryan snapped at him.

"Come on! That was the last one," Nate quickly retorted, gesturing to the pile of water bottles.

"Huh?"

"We went through a whole case of water that Grandpa gave us to drink this morning."

Ryan sputtered slightly as he pulled the bottle away from his lips. "Seriously?"

Nate nodded.

"Damn," Ryan muttered, bitterly passing the nearly empty bottle to Nate who happily drank, finishing it off. "I didn't realize we drank so much today."

"I'll tell him not to buy anymore. We can refill these," Nate suggested, tossing the empty bottle with the others, while Ryan agreed.

With a sigh, Nate looked at the shrinking pile of wood that was still needing to be split. They quickly decided to switch positions, giving Ryan a chance to do something different other than chop for hours on end. It hadn't even occured to them that they hadn't rested and weren't the least bit winded.

Just as Nate began swinging the ax over his shoulder once again, he quickly stopped when he heard a familiar voice calling out his name. Turning back towards Billy's house, he saw two young boys come running towards them.

"Nate! Hi Ryan!" Liam shouted as he and his cousin, Nicholas came running past them and into the trees.

"Nick!? How did you get here?" Ryan asked, pausing from picking up the wood.

"Mom," was the short reply, as he turned towards his brother. "She brought Liam and me to pick you guys up to go home. Aunt Jo is working at the garage and Dad is working late tonight."

Ryan looked over at Nate, both boys equally confused over the time. "What time is it?"

"It's four o'clock," Liam told them, as the two younger boys scavengered for sticks.

Both Nate and Ryan were surprised.

"We've been out all afternoon?"

"No wonder we've drank an entire case of water," Ryan said with a chuckle.

Nate nodded with a smile.

"Let's stack the rest of these and then we can get going," he said with a smirk, before calling both Liam and Nicholas over to them.

Before long, Nate and Ryan had enlisted their two younger brothers to carry individual pieces of firewood towards Billy's wood pile behind the house. It didn't take much pursuading. Both Nicholas and Liam idolized their older brothers and thankfully hadn't known the real reason behind why they had been doing so much outdoor work around Billy and Charlie's houses.

Billy and Rachel watched them, smiling as the older boys piled them for their brothers.

"So, how are they doing with the huge wood pile?" Rachel asked Billy, as she sat beside her father while they watched the four boys in the yard.

"Getting it done," Billy replied. "I think another day should just about do it. I'm quite impressed."

"Good," Rachel said with a nod. "I'll have Ryan here first thing tomorrow morning then. I'll check with Jacob and Jo to see if they want me to bring Nate along."

Billy knew that Jo had been busy working at the garage office all day, catching up with paperwork that she had let go over the past few days. If she wasn't there, she'd be at the diner helping Emily Uley whenever Sue would be away to visiting with Charlie.

Due to Charlie needing the intensive care beyond what the community hospital in Forks could provide, he had been transferred to Port Angeles' medical centre shortly after Old Quil's funeral. Although it wasn't ideal to have him so far away, it was the only option besides sending him away to Seattle.

"You've been watching Liam today?"

Rachel nodded. "The boys have been playing in the backyard all day. I'm lucky that it's been so nice out. They'd drive me crazy if they were inside all day."

"Where are the girls?"

Rachel smiled. "Leah took them to the beach. The boys wanted to go along but the girls were wanting a boy-free day."

Billy chuckled knowingly. Both Liam and Nicholas could be a handful and Billy had heard of their tricks and teasing towards their older sisters countless times. It reminded him a lot of the pranks that Jacob pulled on his twin sisters.

"I wasn't expecting you to come get the boys for another hour," Billy said, looking towards his daughter, Rachel.

"I know. But I thought you were wanting to go visit Charlie tonight before visiting hours were done for the day."

Billy nodded.

"I was planning on it. I haven't been out to see him in almost a week."

"Have the doctors said anything about how he's doing?" Rachel asked softly.

"There hasn't been any change," he replied, stoically. "They were hoping for some sort of improvement. But it doesn't seem to be happening."

He paused and sighed, and Rachel was certain that there were unshed tears around his eyes. She reached over and put her hand on top of his. Without looking towards her, he turned his hand over and locked his fingers with her own.

"I feel so helpless. I don't even know how Charlie ended up the way that he was or where the frickin' leech came from. And it's so damned frustrating to not be able to remember anything."

Rachel could hear the frustration in her Dad's voice. She squeezed his hand.

She knew there had been so much hanging over him; Charlie's condition, the responsibilities of being a chief as well as knowing that the next generation of Quilleute's were undergoing the physical manifestations of the magic that surrounded their people. It was obviously getting to be too much for the man.

"And now, these boys...my grandsons are going through something that I cannot even talk to them about," Billy said, deflated. "I'm a grandfather and I should be able to give guidance to my family...to my grandsons, and I can't even do that."

Rachel didn't have to guess how the meeting went when Paul had stormed into their house, growling about 'old men and their fucking traditions'. From what little she managed to get out of him before she told him to get out of her kitchen before he phased, she surmised that her Dad refused to allow the pack to inform the boys of what was going on. Frankly, she was just as angry at her Father as her husband was. Now, looking at him, she could see that he was just as frustrated and rightfully so.

"It isn't fair," she said softly.

Billy sighed.

"No it isn't."

As they watched the four boys, a smile came to both of their faces. Ryan had picked up Liam, and quickly turned him upside down and held him by his ankles. With his shirt falling up towards his chest, Liam laughed uncontrollably before Nicholas jumped on his brother's back, covering his eyes with his hands. Nate quickly came to Ryan's rescue and tickled Nicholas to the point where he couldn't hold on and fell back, falling to the ground with Nate.

Both Rachel and Billy snorted at the boys' antics. It was a nice reminder that beyond what was going on, they were still the same boys.

"But they wouldn't be alone," Rachel reminded him. "It's the only consolidation I have with keeping the secret from them. I know that Ryan along with Nate would have Jake and Paul and the rest of the current pack to be there when it did happen."

Billy sighed and nodded.

"I know."

A few minutes passed before Rachel called out to the boys alerting them that they were getting ready to leave. While Liam and Nicholas ran back to say goodbye to Billy before racing to the SUV, Ryan picked up the ax to put it away while Nate went to get the lawnmower and pushed it back into the red wooden garage.

Nate aligned it along the wall where it had been stored and ensured that he had closed the gas can before turning to leave. He ran his hand over his forehead before glancing over at the plastic tote that he had knocked over onto the ground a month prior. He paused, remembering the picture that he had found within them when Ryan nudged him in the shoulder before coaxing him into a running race back towards where Rachel and Billy were sitting on the back deck.

Seeing the two boys racing towards them, Rachel stood up.

"Dad, maybe you shouldn't head out to Port Angeles tonight," she said. "You seem stressed and I'm sure the visit can wait for another day."

But Billy shook his head.

"I need to see Charlie," he told her. "I know it sounds silly, but its therapeutic for me to go see him. I can talk to him and he'll listen for hours on end."

Rachel chuckled.

"Well, in the very least, I don't want you making the trip alone."

"I wasn't planning on going on my own," Billy said, matter-of-fact, as the two boys walked up to him.

"Nate, what do you say to going for a ride with me to Port Angeles?"

Nate looked between Billy and Rachel.

"When?"

"Now, actually," Billy told him.

Ryan raised his hand and smirked. "Hey, I'll go with you, Grandpa."

"You, have work to get done at home," Rachel reminded him pointedly.

"D...ang it," Ryan muttered, quickly correcting his cursing once he got a glare from Rachel. "I forgot."

She chuckled. "Oh, I'm sure you did."

Billy turned back to Nate.

"I called your Dad earlier today asking if you're free to come with me tonight. He said that as long as you swept the garage when you got back, he was okay with it. So what do you say?"

Nate smiled and nodded before Billy told him to quickly get cleaned up to leave.

It wasn't very often anymore that Nate spent one-on-one time with his Grandpa. It seemed that once Ryan had been born, and then, with each subsequent grandchild that came after him, Nate didn't get to spend as much time with Billy as he had when he was younger. He wasn't resentful of it. It was all he knew and it was a part of having a large extended family. He also knew that it was special to be able to have his Grandfather's ear for the hour and a half drive. After remembering the photo in his Dad's plastic tote, he was going to use the time with Billy wisely. He decided to bring it up in a roundabout way.

"Grandpa, can I ask you a question?"

"Sure, son. You can ask me anything."

Nate nodded.

"Did Dad have many girlfriends before he met Mom?"

A smirk came to Billy's lips while his eyes remained focused on the road ahead of them.

"Why do you ask?"

Nate shrugged, looking out the window. "Just curious."

"No, he never really had any girlfriends," Billy told him. "He had crushes on some girls, but once he met your Mom, she was it for him."

Nate chuckled, not entirely believing him. He wasn't stupid. Nate had seen how women seemed to eye his Dad. He could only imagine how much more it would've been when he was his age. Still, he was curious.

"Don't tell me it was like love at first sight, right?"

Billy shrugged, his mind going back to that bonfire years ago when he not only reunited with Jacob but was also a witness to him imprinting on Jo. Although he wasn't gifted with the pack mind, he knew that an imprinting was something powerful, even more so than a 'love at first sight'. It wasn't just lust, but a connection; a fusing of two souls that couldn't ever be broken. Jacob needed to be near Jo, as much as he fought it at first. She healed him in more ways that Billy could ever count.

"Something like that," Billy replied with a shrug, glancing over at Nate's amused expression. "What? You don't believe me?"

Nate shook his head. "There's no such thing. Everyone knows that. That's all infatuation and sexual attraction."

Billy nodded in understanding.

"Regardless, once your Dad met your Mom, I knew that there would be no one else for him."

He paused and glanced over at him, recognizing the familiar expression on his face when he was deep in thought; Jacob had the same look when he was contemplating something.

"Something on your mind? A girl, maybe?"

Nate smirked and shook his head.

"Come on, I may be out of touch with today's youth, but I was young once too, you know," Billy said, elbowing Nate in the side. "I overheard you and Ryan talking out by the wood pile. He had mentioned a girl giving you her number."

Nate shrugged. "She was just a drunk girl that I was talking to the night of the party. I haven't called her, that's all Ryan was bugging me about. But I'm not really interested. I was just being friendly."

"So, what's with all the questions about your Dad and girlfriends?"

Nate sighed aloud and looked to Billy as he drove.

"A few weeks back, me and the guys were in the shed and knocked over a plastic tote," Nate said, before turning his attention back to the window beside him. "Don't worry. We picked it up, but some things fell out. I'm pretty sure that it belonged to Dad cause there were some pictures of him in it and I recognized a few with Uncle Embry and Uncle Quil."

Billy nodded, knowing exactly what container Nate was referring to. Jacob hadn't wanted to keep it around his house. He was concerned that the kids would find it and begin to ask questions that he didn't really want answered. He was originally planned on burning them until Jo reminded him that it was his past and although that boy no longer existed, the memories were still there. So, Billy agreed to keep them in the shed. From Billy's perspective, a few pictures of Jacob and his friends growing up were not worthy of being destroyed, no matter how much he had changed.

"We did find one picture of Dad with a girl that we didn't recognize," Nate told him. "She wasn't Quilleute. She had long brown hair and dark eyes. I thought maybe she was an old girlfriend. Dad looked to be about my age and had long hair, longer than mine has ever been."

Billy nodded, realizing that Nate was most likely describing Bella Swan.

"Did you ask your Dad about it?"

Nate snorted. "No. Dad gets so cagey sometimes if I ask him something about when he was younger. He changes the subject, as though the story of him going through puberty is a taboo subject for him. Talking to him about sex was hard enough."

Billy winced, guessing how that conversation would've gone down. He recalled the time when he gave Jacob 'the talk' and could only guess that his time with Nate hadn't gone any smoother.

Nate looked over at his Grandfather, watching how his mouth was set in a firm, set line.

"Who was she?"

Billy sighed, cursing the fifteen more miles they had to drive to Port Angeles. Time suddenly seemed to slow down.

His mind quickly ran through what he could and couldn't tell him; of what he should and shouldn't say. The Cullen's were strictly off limits as they would've opened up more questions and even mentioning that Bella was Charlie's daughter would raise some interesting questions as well. Charlie never spoke of Bella and futhermore, there weren't any pictures of her either than one on his dresser. His house was adorned with photo's of Leah, Seth and Amanda as well as countless pictures of their daughter Hannah.

Hannah had become the apple of Charlie's eye. Although they weren't blood relatives, Hannah called him Grandpa. Through her, he had healed from his pain of loosing Bella.

"An old friend of your Dad's," he simply replied. "He grew up with her for a few years before she moved away to Phoenix. She came back to Forks when he was in high school. They became close for a short time when she was going through a rough breakup with her boyfriend."

When Billy paused, Nate prodded.

"What happened?"

"Well, the...guy that she broke up with returned and they got back together. It tore up your Dad quite a bit since he had a big crush on her and felt that he even loved her. But she didn't feel the same way. It tore him up inside. It took meeting your Mom for him to fully heal from that."

"Dad never mentioned that before," Nate said, looking out the window as he gained a whole new perspective on his father.

"He wouldn't," Billy told him. "He has your Mom and his love for her overshadows anything from his past. But, it doesn't mean that the past still hurts."

"What happened to her?"

Billy took a deep breath. "Well, she married the guy and disappeared shortly after you were born. He never heard from her again."

"Never? She just left and disappeared without a trace?"

"Yeah," Billy replied, stoically.

Nate blew air through his lips.

"People don't just disappear," Nate stated. "I mean, the world is only so big."

Billy nodded in agreement.

"True, but I think she didn't want to be found."

The rest of the trip passed in relative silence. Billy pulled into the hospital parking lot and stopped near the entrance, allowing Nate to jump out to get his chair from the back of the truck before helping his grandfather into it. Nate pushed Billy up the ramp and towards the entrance before rushing back to the running truck to move it into the parking lot. Finding no open spaces in the handicapped section, Nate quickly parked the truck in the first available spot. Locking the truck, he made his way back into the hospital and met Billy before he got onto the elevator that would take them to the ICU.

When the doors opened, a few nurses greeted Billy as they had remembered him from the last time he had visited. It was hard to forget Billy. He was always polite, giving a few of them compliments which in turn aided in lengthening his visitor hours. He smiled at them and introduced Nate as his grandson. A few younger nurses smirked and a couple blushed when Nate said hello. With Billy's directions, Nate pushed him down the hallway before they came up to a closed door. Billy reached forward and opened the door before Nate leaned to hold it open while pushing him into the room.

He was greeted with the beeping sound of a heart monitor and the whooshing of a ventilator. Nate wasn't expecting to see Charlie looking the way he had. He had visibly lost weight and although his colour looked good, he had bags beneath his closed eyes.

Billy noticed Nate's apprehension in seeing his grandfather's best friend.

"He's looked better," Billy commented, softly.

Nate watched as Billy rolled in closer to Charlie and stopped alongside his bed.

Billy looked back at Nate.

"You're welcome to hang out here with us old guys or you can get yourself something to eat in the cafeteria," he told Nate. "I'll be here when you're done."

Nate ran his hand against his stomach at the mention of food. He seemed to always be hungry lately. Nate nodded.

"Yeah, I think I'll do that. I can't believe how hungry I suddenly am," he said, his voice sounding surprised. Billy reached into his back pocket and pulled out a twenty dollar bill, and told Nate to bring him back a sandwich. Nate grabbed the money and thanked Billy before leaving the room in search of the cafeteria.

Billy stared at the closed door for a second. The sound of the ventilator and heart monitor suddenly got louder in the silent room. With a sigh, Billy turned back to Charlie.

"Well, old man," Billy said. "That little boy that we always took fishing isn't so little anymore."

He paused, looking down at Charlie's hand, waiting and praying the same prayer he had said countless times in hopes that somewhere out there, the Spirits would hear him and answer it. Just like all those times, Charlie's hand didn't move.

"You gotta wake up," Billy told him softly. "And not just for Sue."

Billy sighed.

"It's happening again. The same thing that happened to Jake and his friends almost two decades ago is happening again with their boys. And I have this nagging feeling that whatever happened to us out there...that the vampire that attacked us is key to all of this." He paused and shook his head.

"And for the life of me, I still can't remember any of the shit that happened. I'm hoping...praying that you do."

Billy looked over at Charlie's placid and sedate expression.

"So, Charlie Swan, you need to wake up," he said firmly. "Please."

* * *

Never in his life had anything smelled so good.

Nate knew he was on the right floor the moment that the elevator opened. His senses were flooded with the scent of a deep fryer, fresh pizza, hamburgers sizzling on the grill, and hot soups of various types. Knowing that he only had twenty dollars to use and he had to ensure he had enough for his Grandpa's sandwich, he grabbed that first.

By the time, he had reached the cashier, Nate had two hamburgers, a plate of fries and two cans of pop along with Billy's sandwich on his tray. Nate passed the cashier the twenty dollar bill and received the change before heading towards the tables to sit.

It was the dinner hour and the medical centre's relatively small eating area was full. Not only were visitors having their suppers, but countless men and women in scrubs grabbed food to go.

Suddenly opting to go outside, Nate headed for the small garden off of the cafeteria. Through the windows he could see a few empty picnic tables. He only hoped that it hadn't begun to rain since they arrived otherwise he'd be taking his supper up to Charlie's room.

With one arm, he pushed open the door and took a deep breath. The cool, fresh salty air was blowing up off the Strait and despite the sun no longer being out, it was a nice evening. With his eyes set on an empty table, Nate quickly made his way there before he sat down.

He was just about to take a bite of his hamburger when he felt the uncomfortable feeling of his throat tightening. It had been ages since he had felt anything like it, years even. In fact, Nate couldn't recall the last time that he had felt the tell-tale signal of an impending asthma attack. Old Quil's herbs had done wonders for both his asthma and allergies and he hadn't had an attack in so long, that he no longer carried his puffer, only his anti-histamines in case of a reaction. Nate could just imagine the heated conversation that his parents would have with him over not carrying his puffer. But the only thing that made him feel better was knowing that he was already at the hospital.

Sitting up as straight as he could, Nate closed his eyes and focused on breathing in and out. He was seconds from getting up from his seat to find the nearest nurse when the tightness suddenly relaxed in his throat and chest. And just as quickly as it appeared, it stopped.

Nate opened his eyes, a smile coming to his face when he realized that he had stopped it on his own. He felt perfectly find and in fact, felt energized.

"Jacob? Jacob Black?"

Although he normally didn't answer to his father's name, Nate knew that there were often times where he had been mistaken for his Dad. Except, in Port Angeles, it was unlikely. Still, he was curious, especially given the angelic voice that spoke the name.

Nate turned to see a blond haired girl with gray eyes. He had never seen someone so beautiful before. Her milk white skin was flawless and there was something about her that just drew him to her. Her eyes suddenly widened before another equally beautiful girl with long auburn hair and hazel eyes came to her side, hooking her arm around hers. The girl grimaced at Nate, seemingly taking in his appearance with amusement.

With Alice at her side, Bella couldn't help but stare at Nate and at the uncanny similarities that he shared with the memories that she had of Jacob. Her mind suddenly raced, recalling all the times that she had spent with Jacob, in his shed, talking with him on the beach, teaching her to ride motorcycles; a time when things were simpler and when he'd do anything for her. She suddenly longed for those days again; to feel a warmth that she realized she missed and had lost.

Alice squeezed Bella's arm, turning slightly towards her.

"I did not see him coming."

* * *

 ** _A/N -_**

 ** _As always - Please Review! Thank you for all the comments, PM'd suggestions and ideas, the new followings and favourites. I hope that you enjoyed this chapter._**


	18. Chapter 18

"This is a horrible idea," Alice stated, as she paced within the garden outside the hospital cafeteria. Bella sat on the park bench, her eyes glued onto the door that opened and closed as hospital visitors and employees walked in and out. The garden was quite busy and most, if not all the picnic tables had been occupied.

"This is a great idea," Bella assured her with a smile. "You said that someone would be here to give us information on how Charlie is doing. We just have to wait."

Alice sighed, cursing her initially excitement when she told Bella the future that entailed her finding out what was going on with her Dad in this very spot at this specific time. The only part that caused her any apprehension was the fact that she couldn't clearly see the person whom she'd get the news from very clearly. Because of this, she had a bad feeling. Never being one to be surprised, to not know what to expect was very worrisome.

"Bella, the very fact that Charlie is up there and most likely has been visited by his wife among other people from La Push is not a good thing. La Push means werewolves," she explained.

"It'll be fine. Since Charlie is no longer in Forks, he's not getting as many visitors and we don't have to be as careful."

"Still, if any of them know that we're around, they could hunt us down."

Bella shook her head. "The wolves wouldn't hurt us. They know that we don't hurt humans. The treaty..."

"You know that there is no treaty! All bets are off now! To them, we're no different than any given nomad that comes near their land."

Bella sighed, and focused on Alice before standing up.

"I need to find out what's happening with Charlie," Bella told her, firmly.

Alice nodded in resignation and crossed her arms over her chest. "Fine then. Go inside and ask about him."

Bella scowled. "Alice, you know I can't do that. Like you said, the wolves would know we're around if one of them recognizes our scent inside the hospital. Out here is our best bet."

Alice sighed. "Sure, but I'm going to go get some fresh air. I'm not used to being around so..."

She paused just as a boy...no, a young man walked out of the hospital carrying a tray. Bella had noticed him as well. There wasn't anything unusual about him except for the strong aroma that caught both Bella and Alice's attention when he walked out. It was one that they'd never forget - shape shifter.

Bella took in a deep breath, faintly detecting that the young man carried Jacob's unique scent along with hints of something else. As much as she tried to convince herself otherwise, she knew that it couldn't be Jacob. For him, the years certainly would have passed and he would be well into his 30's. Except, she knew that Jacob wasn't an ordinary man. Yet, this young man looked so familiar in the way that he carried himself, the way his jaw was set and by the russet colour of his skin. If not for his wavy hair that fell to his chin, Bella would be certain that she was looking at a younger Jacob Black.

"It can't be," she whispered as she slowly walked up to the picnic table. She paused when she heard the young man's heart rate increase.

Alice quickly grabbed Bella's arm, concerned that he may have already noticed their presence.

"Bella, we need to get out of here," Alice said urgently, glancing around quickly for a sign of any other wolves. Chances were good that if there was one, there would be more nearby.

But Bella ignored her. She was focused solely on the young man who suddenly seemed to be attempting to calm his breathing.

Alice swore inwardly when she realized who it was. There was only one person who could smell like Jacob Black and have an asthmatic attack whenever he would be exposed to vampires. She was about to reveal to Bella of her discovery and warn her that for the boy's safety, they should move away when to Alice's surprise, his breathing eased out and he suddenly seemed perfectly fine.

Alice was still trying to figure out how he managed to avoid an asthmatic attack with them still standing upwind from him when Bella spoke.

"Jacob? Jacob Black?"

It took him a moment to turn upon hearing her voice.

Bella took in an uncessary gasp of a breath when his eyes fell on her. If she didn't know any better, she was certain that she was looking at the Jacob of her memories. Bella felt Alice grab ahold of her arm before leaning in.

"I did not see him coming."

Bella smiled at the young man apologetically.

"Oh, I'm sorry," Bella said to Nate. "I thought you were someone else."

Nate smiled. Bella couldn't help but think of Jacob upon seeing his bright smile on the young man sitting in front of them.

"Don't worry about it. You'd be surprised how many times I get mistaken for my Dad."

Bella paused. "Wait...you're Nathaneal Black?"

The smile fell as he seemed to study her.

"Actually, I go by Nate. Do I know you?"

Bella smiled. "No, I..uh, just know of your Dad and your family."

Based on the colour of her skin, Nate quickly deduced that these girls were not from La Push. Because of Jacob's garage on the reservation, along with Charlie's connection to the tribe and to the police department in Forks, their name got around town.

" Let me guess. You're from Forks?"

Finding Bella unable to give an answer that wouldn't lead to Nate asking more questions, Alice suddenly intervened.

"Actually, we moved out of the area a little over ten years ago," she replied. "We just remember your Dad. He looked a lot like you."

"Dad must've been quite memorable if you were able to remember him when you were...what? Six or seven years old?"

Alice chuckled lightly before Bella finally replied.

"Something like that. Jacob fixed my Dad's car a few times."

Nate snorted. "Yeah, sounds like something he'd do."

"Does he still have the garage in La Push?"

Nate nodded. "If you're ever out in our area, and need a mechanic, I'm sure he'd be willing to help you out. He's one of the best."

"I'm sure that he is," Alice said, interrupting Bella before she could say anything else to keep the conversation going. Alice was determined to get them out of there and away from Nate as soon as possible. "We'll keep that in mind and let you get back to your supper. We have to get going."

"Oh, of course," Nate said. "It was nice meeting you."

"Likewise," Alice stated quickly, as she grabbed ahold of Bella's arm, tugging on it as she began to turn.

Nate turned back to the food in front of him oblivious to the near-silent conversation that was happening as Alice firmly pulled Bella towards the parking lot.

"What is your problem, Alice? That was quite rude."

"My problem? What do you think you're doing, Bella?! That is Jacob Black's son! If the pack finds out that we have been near him, there's no telling what they'd do."

Bella rolled her eyes. "We didn't do anything to Nate. We didn't even touch him. Just because the treaty is void, doesn't mean that the wolves will automatically attack us. They know us."

"Bella, you weren't here when Edward, Carlisle and myself came back ten years ago," Alice told her. "Jacob and the pack were livid that we had returned, even though our intentions were only to protect the tribe. As grateful as he was for our assistance, his patience and that of the entire pack was incredibly thin. Carlisle seemed to think it had something to do with the fact that they were no longer being desensitized to our presence as it would have been when we lived here. We had only been gone for five years when Irina had come after their children. I highly doubt that any length of time would change how they feel."

"But Alice, I need to find out about Charlie," Bella pleaded to her softly. "And Nate has to be here because of him. He would know something and I have to find out how Charlie is."

Alice sighed.

"And I get that, but we need to find another way," Alice quickly said, comfortingly putting her arm around Bella's shoulder.

"When I agreed to come with you to make sure that Charlie was all right, I vowed to myself that I wouldn't lead you into danger and that's exactly what I did."

Bella chuckled. "But he's harmless!"

"Harmless?! He's the son of two werewolves. With us being here and then that vampire who attacked Charlie, we don't know if or how close he is to turning into one himself. We should leave now before we find out for ourselves."

Bella sighed.

"I think you're just overreacting."

"Am I? It's just you and I here," Alice told her. "There's no way we could hold our own against the pack."

"It wont come to that," Bella stated, before looking over at Nate. "We'll be long gone before any of them even know that we were ever here."

She quickly turned back to Alice, seeing the smaller girl's pleading eyes begging her to heed her suggestion in leaving.

"I promise you, Alice," Bella said firmly. "As soon as I find out how Charlie is and know that he'll recover, we'll go. Okay?"

Alice sighed. It wasn't what she wanted but she too, was concerned about how Charlie was doing.

"Fine. I'll give you ten minutes," she said. "But I'm going to take off for the woods. The smell coming off of him is nauseating. I don't know how you manage."

Bella smiled before assuring Alice that she would soon join her in a few minutes after she would attempt to get information from Jacob Black's son about Charlie.

The two split up, Alice heading out towards the parking lot to make her way to the woods while Bella headed towards Nate. As much as the smell seemed to bother Alice, Bella didn't seem to mind it as much. Still, it wasn't pleasant. She took a deep breath, ensuring that she wouldn't have to breathe anytime soon.

She stopped behind him.

"Nate?"

The young man turned, chewing as he did so and smiled.

"Could I join you?"

Nate nodded, quickly swallowing. "Of course."

Bella made her way to the otherside of the picnic table and sat down across from him.

"Where's your friend?"

"Oh, uh..." Bella thought quickly. "She went to get us something to eat."

"She might be a while," Nate said, wiping his mouth with the napkin. "This place is packed."

Bella nodded, noticing how every outdoor picnic table was full. Through the windows, she could see the long line up along with the many occupied tables lining the walls.

"It is," she agreed, watching Nate take a bite of his hamburger. "You're here on your own?"

He nodded. Bella smiled amusingly as she watched him quickly take a gulp of his pop to wash it down so he could speak. His mannerisms were so much like Jacob's that it was uncanny. For a moment, she felt as though she was sitting across from him once again.

"You know, I never got your name," he told her.

Bella's mind quickly skimmed her mind through the many alias' she had used over the years, picking the one that she had felt the most comfortable in.

"Marie Mason," Bella said, with a smile.

When he offerred her a drink of his pop, she politely refused before he took another drink.

She smiled and continued to watch him, finding him amusing. Bella hadn't been around human's for quite some time. She had almost forgotten how interesting it could be to watch them; especially one so much like Jacob.

"So, are you here visiting someone?"

Nate nodded. "A friend of my grandfather's. Actually, he's more like family. You?"

Bella hesitated for a moment. She wasn't used to making up lies on the spot. She never was good at it and always referred to Edward's judgement based on the fact that he could anticipate the questions they would be asked. To now be in a situation without him, she not only found it awkward but also a bit freeing to be the one to create a persona around herself.

"My Dad," she replied, before mentally cursing herself at her too-truthful answer. She had to get more creative. "He was in a bad car accident two weeks ago. Broke his collar bone and shattered his knee. He wont be walking on his own for a while."

Nate looked at her sympathetically.

"I'm sorry to hear that. That's gotta be hard."

Bella shrugged. "It's all right. He's getting stronger every day."

At least, that's what she had been hoping to find out.

Nate smiled before picking up his hamburger once again.

"That's good. I don't know what I'd do if my Dad was ever in a car accident like that."

He took another bite.

"Nate, I don't think you'd ever have to worry about that. Knowing Jake, he's an awesome driver and the car would end up looking worse than he would," Bella said.

Her statement confused Nate. The blond woman across from him spoke as though she knew his Dad more than just as a name she recalled from her childhood.

"I don't understand," he said. "What do you mean?"

"I...uh.." Bella began, looking down awkwardly at her hands in front of her.

She looked back at Nate, who kept his attention on her. Bella couldn't figure out if Nate was pretending to not know about his Dad being a shape shifter or if he seriously wasn't aware. Either way, she had spoken as though she knew more than she had been letting on about Jacob. She wished that Edward was there; he'd know more of what to say after reading Nate's mind.

"What I meant was that, from what I remember about your Dad, he's a pretty big guy," Bella said, with a timid smile.

Nate smiled weakly and nodded. "Yeah, I suppose. It doesn't make him invincible though. He's still only human."

"True," Bella agreed softly, glad to have gotten herself out of that situation.

While Nate went back to eating, Bella watched him. The few quirks that were undoubtedly inherited from Jacob were logged in her mind. As though he could feel her eyes on him, Nate looked up, slowed his chewing and smiled.

"What?"

Bella smiled and shook her head. "Nothing. I was just thinking."

"About what?"

"You...uh, just remind me of a guy I once knew," she replied softly.

Nate chuckled. "A boyfriend?"

Bella couldn't help but laugh as she shook her head.

"No, we were never that close. He was my best friend though and I still regret loosing his friendship."

Nate shrugged. "It's never too late to start fresh."

Bella winced.

"It's not that easy."

"Sure it is. Take my Grandpa for example," Nate said, gesturing to the hospital behind them. "He's up here visiting my Uncle. I don't know how many times the two of them nearly came to blows. They both have some pretty big tempers when the right buttons are pushed. But they always put it behind them. They may not be related, but they are as close as brothers."

"Your Uncle, if I can ask, how is he?"

Bella watched as Nate shrugged, his eyes going back down to the nearly empty plate in front of him. "He looks rough. I mean, he's recovered from the surgery that he went through."

He glanced up at Bella to explain. "Uncle Charlie was attacked by a mountain lion and was lucky enough to survive that. An elder of our tribe was with him and didn't make it."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Bella said softly, and genuinely.

Nate took a deep breath. "But now, Charlie is in a coma. They don't know when or even if he'll ever wake up from it."

If Bella could breathe, the air would've been sucked out of her as she felt an invisible sucker punch to her stomach. She hadn't anticipated this at all. Of all the scenarios she had thought of, this wasn't one of them. She had always wanted to come back to see Charlie once more in his lifetime, to let him know that she was all right and that she was happy. It suddenly occured to her that she may now be too late.

"A coma?"

"Yeah," Nate replied. "He...uh...lost a lot of blood."

"Wow, that's just..." Bella breathed out between her lips. It was still overwhelming to hear the news. Knowing that Charlie had been attacked by a vampire, she anticipated it to be bad, but she never imagined this. "I don't know what to even say."

Nate nodded. "But he has his family. We're all supporting them."

Bella's eyes widened upon the mention of family.

"Does he have children?"

"Oh no," Nate replied. "None of his own anyways. They're his wife's kids and in fact, he's a grandfather. But they're still a family and he loves them as though they were his own. That's what matters."

Bella smiled weakly. "I guess you're right."

"I'm sure that you being around your Dad certainly has helped him recover faster," Nate told her, just as they heard the chime of a cell phone text being delivered.

Bella smiled apologetically before pulling hers out of her pocket. Seeing Alice's message of 'TIME TO GO - NOW' in caps caused her to smile.

The small pixie was right. She had gotten the information she wanted and more. Remembering the promise she made to Alice, she pocketed the cell phone and smiled at Nate.

"Well, I should be going."

Nate's smile fell. "I thought you were waiting for your friend to bring out food."

"Oh," Bella said, before gesturing to her cell phone. "That was just her. The line is too long and she's wanting to go into town and grab something to eat there."

"Good plan," Nate said, with a nod. "She'd be waiting for a while inside."

Bella stood up.

"It was nice meeting you, Nate," she said to him, while Nate stood up politely across from her. "Maybe I'll see you around here again sometime."

"Yeah, maybe."

As Bella turned to walk away, Nate suddenly climbed over the bench and took a step to follow after her.

"Marie," he said, causing Bella to look back at him. "There's this huge bazaar that La Push puts on each summer. Tribal arts, crafts, baked goods, music...that sort of thing and it's pretty fun. It's this coming weekend. I know that we just met, but if you're interested and are free, would you want to go?"

When she hesitated, Nate continued.

"And you'd have your own Quilleute guide who could translate everything for you. I'm still picking up words here and there but get along enough to understand it."

Bella smiled at his sincerity. It brought back so many memories of Jacob that she found herself almost wanting to go along, if only to see the man himself.

"That's nice of you, but I can't," she told him, regretfully. "I'm busy this coming weekend."

While her head insisted that she'd move to turn, she found that her feet weren't obeying.

"But if you ever happen to come out this way again this week, I may be able to get away in the evenings."

Nate smiled and nodded, as Bella took out her cell phone.

"Sure!" He said before he gave Bella his number. Taking out his own phone, he quickly punched in her own. "It would certainly beat sitting around a hospital waiting area for a few hours."

Giving him a small wave goodbye, Bella made her way towards the parking lot and then into the woods, just as Alice had earlier. The moment that there was no one in sight, she ran full speed, heasing back to the small cabin that they had found high in the mountains. Alice stood with her arms crossed in front of her, holding a firm glare.

"You told me ten minutes," she said. "That was closer to fifteen."

"I wasn't going to rush it."

"You didn't touch Jacob's clone, did you?"

"Of course not," Bella replied, shocked that Alice would even mention it.

"Good," was her curt reply. "So, did you found out how Charlie's doing?"

Bella nodded.

"I did."

"Great! We can head back to France then," she said, pulling out their plane tickets from her purse. "I can't wait to get back home."

"We're not going back," Bella told her, instantly stopping Alice in her tracks. "Not yet."

If Alice's face could go whiter than her pale complexion already was, it would have.

"We're...what? Bella, you found out about Charlie..."

"He's in a coma, Alice," Bella stated, turning to her. "Nate says there's a possibility that he may not even wake up. I can't leave knowing that."

"I'm sorry to hear that," she said softly.

"So, you know why we can't leave now. At least not until he wakes up."

Alice sighed.

"This is what I was afraid of."

"Alice, you had no idea that Charlie would be this bad."

"No, I was afraid that you'd want to stay. I was hoping that I'd be able to change your mind and convince you to go back home. Staying here is a bad idea. I know that you've already made the decision to see Nate again sometime."

Bella shrugged while Alice looked at her smugly, crossing her arms in front of her.

"Well," Bella began, thinking quickly. "I was hoping that he could give me updates about how Charlie is doing. Maybe even tell me about his life here, and if he's happy."

Feeling Alice's stare, she continued.

"And I admit, I am curious about Jacob and how he's doing."

Alice sighed.

"I knew it. Look, Bella, I totally get the whole 'wanting to relive ones teenage-years' over again," Alice said. "But you're married. To Edward. And Nate is Jacob's son! You can't go near him again."

Bella sat down, feeling a bit more deflated as she knew that Alice was right. Alice, sensing that, put her hand on Bella's shoulder.

"We'll stay," Alice assured her. "As long as you promise me that you wont go near him. Not just for your safety, but for his own. We don't want to cause any Quilleute's to start phasing while we're here."

Bella nodded before Alice walked away with her bags in hand, preparing to unpack once again. She looked down at her cell phone and quickly brought up Nate's name. After a moments hesitation, she typed a quick message to him.

:: **Nice meeting you. CU Friday night? Same place?::**

She wasn't anticipating a reply anytime soon and a good part of her hoped that he wouldn't reply, if only to make it easier for her to give up the notion of finding out how Jacob was.

She stood up to grab her own bags to put them away when she felt the vibration of a text in her back pocket. Bella pulled out the cell phone and smiled.

:: **Sure! CU then!:** :

* * *

The annual bazaar was one of the few functions that the reservation put on each year that greatly increased the population within La Push for a single weekend. With the weather expecting to make it a near-perfect weekend, there was no doubt that the roads would be packed with parked cars. People from as far as Port Angeles visited as well as families from neighbouring reservations came in support.

Emily Uley was excited, citing that her family was coming from Makah for the weekend to take in the festivities. She only hoped that she wouldn't be so busy and would have a chance to spend some time with htem.

Nearly every family within La Push was somehow involved. Most had their own table, showcasing their artistic and culinary talents while others were involved in the musical or dance presentations. Taking on such an event for such a small reservation demanded that everyone helped our.

This year, the Uley and Billy Black's family and anyone by extension, were in charge of setting up the large number of tables within the tribal centre. Emily had taped a piece of paper to the wall, showing how the layout of tables should look and then held the door while the tables were carried into the main auditorium.

While Emily and Rachel held the doors open, Paul walked through the open doors with a long table in his arms.

"How many of these things do we need to bring in here?" Paul grunted disheartedly as he passed Rachel who held the opposite door open. She smiled at him while Emily answered.

"Sixty-two."

He bent over to place it down on the growing stack of folded tables and stood upright.

"Sixty-two?! You know, I could carry four of those at one time and we could get this done a whole lot faster," he argued with a knowing smirk, while Rachel simply shook her head.

"Sorry, but we're going one at a time here," Jacob reminded him as he came up behind Paul and placed the table that he had been carrying down in the pile as well. "Too many curious eyes."

Paul sighed.

"You do know there's a Mariner's game on tonight. If we keep up this pace, we'll be here for hours."

"Well, at least we have extra hands with us this year," Jacob reminded him brightly as he looked over to where Talon, Ryan and Nate were unfolding the tables and placing them where Sam would help to direct them. Liz followed behind, labelling the tables with various names according to the layout while Jo, with Sarah and Amy Lahote's help hung up banners. On the ground, their younger brothers, Liam and Nicholas along with Shawn Uley blew up balloons.

Billy Black sat in his chair near the wall to ensure that he wouldn't be in the way as he marvelled how everyone worked. His ear caught the light banter and laughter coming from the three teenage boys assisting Sam Uley with the table set up. He watched as Liz approached to label the tables, instantly causing the boys to move aside without her saying a word. Billy couldn't hear what Ryan had said aloud to her, but he was rewarded with a swift playful slap to his stomach causing both Talon and Nate to laugh out loud once again. He caught Sam's smile as he seemed just as entertained as he was in watching the boys interact with each other and with Liz. With Sam's direction, Nate and Talon walked over to the pile of tables. Nate easily picked up one of them off the stack and passed it to Talon beside him who also had no issue with the weight.

The first time the boys picked up the tables as though they weighed nothing, it caused a momentarily alarm from their parents as they looked on. The parents quickly glanced among themselves and not wanting to cause any concern to their sons, Sam distracted the boys by calling them back over and continued to direct them where to place the tables that they had in hand.

Still slightly uncomfortable knowing that their boys were experiencing a physical change as they had when they were their age, Paul slapped Nate on the back as he walked past.

"So tell me about this Marie that you met at the hospital."

Nate quickly glared over at Ryan who held up his hands in defence before going to pick up another table to hand to his cousin.

"I may have casually mentioned it to him a few days ago," he admitted. "But frankly, by the way you were talking about her so much, I didn't think it would be a big deal."

"Nate has a girlfriend?" Talon asked with a smile as he walked back towards the stack of tables to gather another. "I'm hurt. Why didn't I know?"

Overhearing her brother, Liz smiled.

"What? Nate has a girlfriend?"

"She's not my girlfriend," Nate quickly replied back to her. "Marie's just a girl I met when I was at the hospital the other day with Grandpa."

Ryan chuckled, elbowing Nate. "Just a girl, huh? Not by the way you were describing her. Marie sounds like she's some sort of goddess by your extreme use of adjectives."

"If she caught your eye, I'd like to meet this girl," Jo said, walking over, smiling. "Why didn't you tell us about her?"

"Cause I know that you guys would get like this."

"Like how?"

"Overly excited for no reason to the point of my embarrassment."

Paul laughed, as he walked past to place another table in the pile. "Sorry to tell you bud, but that's one of the jobs of being a parent - embarassing our children."

"You need to invite her to the bazaar," Rachel suggested happily from the doorway.

Before Nate could respond, Ryan answered with a wiggle of his eyebrows.

"He did, but Marie's not free this weekend so he's going to meet her tonight after we're done."

Upon hearing this new revelation, Jacob quickly turned to Nate.

"You know that you're still grounded."

Nate sighed and nodded. "I know, Dad. I was hoping that maybe, this one time tonight that I could be ungrounded."

It wasn't the fact that Nate was still grounded that really bothered Jacob. From the moment he heard about this 'Marie', he felt uneasy about the whole thing. And it wasn't just because of the distance that he'd have to drive to meet her.

While Jacob was a little apprenhensive about the whole thing, Jo was excited for Nate. Since becoming a teenager, he seemed to keep so much to himself and rarely did they ever know if he had any interest in a girl. While Jacob carried his heart on his sleeve, Nate was more secretive, and Jacob felt the need to ask more questions about this mysterious girl.

"What do you know about her, either than her name?"

Nate shrugged. "Marie's from Port Angeles and was visiting her Dad in hospital. If it makes you feel any better she used to live in Forks and knew your name."

"She does? What's her last name?"

"Masen."

Jacob played the name around in his head, thinking he'd come up with a family, but came up with nothing.

"I don't know of any Masen's in these parts," Billy also concluded, shaking his head as he looked over at Jacob.

"She said that her family moved away about a decade ago," Nate added.

Jacob nodded in understanding. He paused, and rubbed his chin before nodding.

"Okay, you can go see her tonight as soon as we're done setting up, but take a buddy with you. You just met this girl and you don't know her."

Nate snorted. "Seriously Dad, she's not some psycho. She seems legit. Technically, there are more shifty people in Forks than her."

"Technically, you're still grounded and these are the stipulations to you going tonight. Take it or leave it."

Hearing Jacob's ultimatum, Nate quickly nodded. Following Jacob adding that he was to be home by midnight, Nate quickly asked Talon to join him as Ryan was still grounded and Paul was unrelenting in loosening that punishment anytime soon.

Nate quickly texted Bella, letting her know that he'd be coming later on and bringing a friend along. When Bella didn't reply right away, he pocketed the cell phone and continued to quickly work to set up the remainder of the tables. At one point, Liz walked up to him just as they were finishing him.

"Nate, I hate to ask," she began, "but I was wondering if Kyle and I could get a ride with you and Tal out to Port Angeles."

Although he wasn't opposed to having Liz join them, the moment he realized that she was also asking if Kyle could come along caused him to momentarily hesitate.

"I mean, your Dad said that it shouldn't be a problem. Kyle brought his car to his shop this afternoon and he was going to help me grab some last minute things for my Mom in Port Angeles. Since you guys are already heading that way, I was hoping that we could come along."

"Yeah, sure, of course," Nate said quickly with a smile.

Liz smiled broadly, thanked him and pulled out her cell phone to quickly text Kyle the news, letting him know that they should be at his place in a half hour or so.

Talon came up to him while his sister walked away.

"So, I get to sit in a car with you, Liz and the 'Boyfriend' for an hour and a half," Talon groaned. "I'm starting to regret agreeing to go with you."

Nate looked over at him, confused. "What are you talking about?"

"I mean, ever since that rainy day that you and Liz showed up at our house soaking wet and covered in mud, Kyle's been asking me about you and Liz. I wouldn't be surprised if he's got people spying on her. I think he's still paranoid that something is going on between you two."

Nate chuckled. "The guy's a tool."

Talon nodded. "I heard that you threatened him."

"Yeah," Nate told him softly, obviously not proud of the fact.

Talon slapped Nate on the back. "Dude, if you didn't do it, I would have. He's gotten to be way too touchy with Liz lately. I wish Dad would catch that prick cause it would piss him right off."

Nate couldn't help but feel his face heat up while his blood pressure suddenly rose at the mental image that Talon's words conveyed. His mind focused so much on the thought of Liz being inappropriately touched by her boyfriend Kyle that he no longer heard Talon talking until he tapped him on the arm.

"Hey man, you okay?"

Nate focused back on Talon, who looked at him in confusion and concern. His blood pressure lowered as did the anger. Finally, he nodded. "Yeah, I'm good."

Oblivious to their prior conversation, Liz suddenly walked up to them, smiling as she pulled her purse over her shoulder.

"You guys ready to go?"

With a sigh, both boys nodded, waved at their parents and walked out of the tribal centre.

Their parents not only noticed them leaving, but both Jacob and Jo sensed the sudden anger rolling off of Nate. It had also caught Sam and Paul's attention. Sam had overheard his son's words and couldn't help but share in that anger. Paul looked over at Jacob in concern as the sound of the Rabbit pulling out of the lot and onto the road echoed into the building.

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 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Thank you for all the reviews!_**

 ** _As always, welcome to the new followers and favouriters! It's fun to see more and more people joining this story with each update._**

 ** _This chapter seemed to take longer for some reason. I worked hard on it...trying to get the right feel. I hope it came out all right. Let me know what you think. Please review._**

 ** _My goal right now is to post a chapter weekly. It is a busy time of year right now for me, so I think that may be the max that I can do...but if the inspiration hits me, it may be sooner._**


	19. Chapter 19

The drive to Port Angeles never took so long.

Nate looked down repeatedly at the speedometer to ensure that he was at least going the speed limit. Finding that he was driving five over, he sighed. He wasn't going to push his luck with his Dad's old Rabbit. Although he knew that the cops didn't frequent the back county roads, the winding nature of the two-lane highway didn't make him comfortable enough to go any faster. Instead, he focused his mind on the incoming dashed middle lines on the road - anything to keep his mind off the pair sitting behind him in the small backseat.

He couldn't believe how much Kyle seemed to rub him the wrong way. He had only spoken to the guy once and although he knew they'd never be good friends, it annoyed him that he couldn't seem to at least like the guy, if only for Liz's sake. Just taking a simple glance in the rearview mirror to see Liz resting her head against Kyle's shoulder caused him to draw a quick intake of a breath.

His deep sigh caught Talon's attention beside him in the passenger seat.

"You okay, man?"

Nate didn't answer but instead rolled down his window before resting his arm on along the edge.

Talon took the nonverbal cue as a sign that something was bothering him. He had a suspicion what it was as the guy in the backseat with his older sister had begun to drive him insane as well with his seemingly unending ramblings about football and sports in general. What didn't help was Liz's genuine interest in the subject. Growing up as the oldest girl among two brothers, she was undoubtedly immersed in sports as Sam encouraged all the kids to play baseball and soccer from an early age. Plus, they had all been spectators at countless beach football games that their Dad would be a participant in along with many of their other friends' fathers.

Ignoring the fact that Kyle was chatting excitedly to Liz, Talon reached forward and turned on the radio, instantly drowning out the conversation in the backseat.

Nate's lips curled up in a smile before he quickly glanced over at Talon, who met his smirk with a wink.

"Tal!" Liz exclaimed, leaning forward through the tight space between the front seats. "Turn that down!"

Talon ignored her and rolled down his own window and rested his arm on the edge as Nate had, before mouthing the words that were coming out of the old analog radio.

With a huff, she unbuckled her seat belt and reached forward between the two front seat and turned off the radio, instantly bringing silence to the car.

"Hey!" Nate exclaimed while Talon cursed.

"I don't know how you guys can listen to that and still be able to hear yourselves think," she said, settling herself back in the small rear bench seat once again.

"It's a good beat," Nate retorted, reaching to flip it back on. "I thought that you liked this kind of music."

He had to shout over the bass that pumped from beneath the backseats.

With a grunt, Liz reached forward between the cramped front seats and turned down the volume until it was barely audible.

"I do, but could we at least compromise and turn it down just a bit? We were trying to talk back here."

"Oh, Tal, did you hear that?" Nate said with a gasp, feigning shock before he glanced playfully over at his friend. "They're talking back there."

Playing along, Talon pretended to be surprised and put his hand to his chest mockingly before he smirked and turned the volume up once again. He could see the frustration on his sister's face as he looked back at her with a triumphant smile while the music blasted from the speakers.

Quickly, she leaned forward between the two front seats, grabbed the shoulders of each of their t-shirts and pulled their heads and ultimately, their ears towards her.

"I don't know what the hell you two are playing at, but cut it out," she seethed angrily.

Talon snorted at his sister's attempt at bringing discipline to him and Nate. She never scared him, even in all the times that Liz had threatened him when it came to taking things from her room or using her stuff in the bathroom. The only one who could ever bring the fear of God into him was his Dad.

The same went for Nate. He found it amusing and chuckled, which in turn simply made her even more frustrated with their antics.

"Liz, don't worry about it," Kyle said loudly enough for her to hear, as he gently rubbed her shoulders to further encourage her to relax. "I don't mind if they want to listen to their music. It is Nate's car after all and he's giving us the ride."

Nate heard Kyle's understanding tone and couldn't help but roll his eyes as he drove.

"You're right," Liz said aloud with a sigh, while she buckled herself back up. "I was just expecting that they'd be a little more considerate to those around them. But I guess that's asking too much of my brother and his friend."

"Considerate? Come on, Liz," Nate said, turning down the radio. "Who willingly helped you train for that mud wrestling competition that you desperately wanted to enter?" He gestured with his finger and pointed towards himself. "Remember, you practically begged me to help you and who am I to say no!"

While Talon snorted in an attempt to hold in his laughter, Nate looked up at Kyle in the rear-view mirror.

"Hey Kyle, you gotta see how she can hold someone down with her legs around their waist and her elbow hooked around their neck," Nate teased with a smile. "Feels like you're being wrapped up by a huge Quilleute boa constrictor. You can barely feel anything below the hips."

He had fully expecting and even anticipated some sort of verbal retort from Liz but instead he suddenly felt a jab in his side, causing him to gasp.

"Ow!" He exclaimed, rubbing the side of his ribs with his hand before he heard a voice whisper harshly in his ear from the back seat.

"Say another word about mud wrestling and I'll ensure that you wont be feeling anything below your hips for a long, long time," she whispered venomously, yet Talon could hear the threat loudly enough that he burst into laughter.

"That's a good one!" He exclaimed with a cackle.

"Come on, Liz," Nate said, joining in. "This is all just innocent teasing and joking around. You know that."

"We'll see if you feel the same about 'innocent teasing' when we meet your hospital girl," Liz said with a smirk while leaning back against the bench. Kyle wrapped his arm around her shoulders. "Just remember what they say about pay back."

Nate nodded, not at all concerned about her warning.

"I have to admit, that sounds like a you've got a pretty good plan going on there. But there's just one problem."

"And what's that?"

"There's no chance in hell that you'll be meeting her."

Liz leaned forward with a smirk.

"Oh, of course I am. Anyone who even considers going out with you has to be some sort of crazy and in the very least she needs to be warned about the lunacy that she's about to get herself involved in named Nathaneal Black."

Nate snorted, squeezing the steering wheel tightly within his hands. It went from playful banter and teasing to hitting a bit more below the belt.

"Anyone is liable to go crazy if they listen to the history of the Seahawks franchise in Washington State while driving a car for nearly 45 minutes! I mean, who memorized that crap!?"

Liz groaned. She knew whom Nate was implying. Kyle had been happily talking to her and as much as it wasn't the greatest topic in the world, she took offence to Nate's blatant and rude insult towards her boyfriend.

"Then stop listening to our conversations and mind your own damn business!" Liz shot back.

Nate rolled his eyes as he looked out the front windshield.

A flash of colour suddenly darted past the car. Prior thoughts of continuing the argument with Liz completely vanished when he was certain that he had seen the figure of a man run past his car. Just as Nate was about to ask Talon if he had seen something, a rhythmic thumping sound suddenly came from the front of the car. Within seconds it had gotten louder and rattled the car. Nate could feel the front of the Rabbit want to veer hard towards the shoulder. The rear end began to fish tail.

"Damn it," Nate groaned as he fought the wheel to keep the car straight and on the road while he let it coast. The steering wheel shook from the fight.

He knew exactly what was happening.

Somehow, a tire had blown out.

Although Jacob had told him exactly what to do should he ever experience this situation, he wasn't ready for the influx of fear that suddenly shot through him. Going nearly 60 miles per hour, the Rabbit seemed to have a mind of its own.

"What's going on!?" Talon shouted, grabbing ahold of the car door as he glanced anxiously over at Nate who continued to fight for control.

"Hold on!" Nate called out as the car began to turn a sharp 180 degrees on the road before sliding down the shoulder and towards the ditch before coming to a stop.

"Whoa," Kyle breathed in the backseat. One hand on the car door while the other held Liz's hand.

Nate breathed out, slowly relaxing his hands from the steering wheel. Adrenaline was still coursing through him and his hands were visibly shaking. He looked out the windshield, relieved to see that they hadn't hit anything and they were safely off the road.

"Everyone okay?" Liz asked, the previous conversation long forgotten.

While Talon and Kyle spoke out their confirmations that they were fine, Nate simply stared. He internally questioned his eyesight and his mental stability as he tried to figure out if the figure he had seen was even real.

Had he hit someone!?

A pit grew in the depth of his stomach at the thought.

It wasn't until he felt Liz touch his shoulder that he turned and saw her looking at him in concern.

"Nate? You all right?"

He nodded silently before reaching for the car door.

Quickly, he climbed out of the car, his eyes going down the quickly darkening and deserted road for a sign that someone had been there or someone had been hit. They had stopped in a secluded and heavily wooded area.

Looking down at the drivers side front tire, it was obvious that it was flat. The Rabbit had been riding on its rim. Just by looking at it, Nate couldn't visually see any puncture or tear. It was getting too dark to see anything substantial. With a sigh, he glanced at the rear wheel and found it to be looking just like the front.

He heard the front passenger door open and knew that Talon was coming around to check it out as well.

"What are the chances that I blow out both a front and rear tire at the same time?" Nate asked aloud.

"Good enough that if you were legal, I'd say you should play the lottery."

Talon crouched down beside him and whistled, as he turned on the flashlight on his cell phone to shine some light.

"You got a spare?"

Nate nodded. "Just for one though."

Talon shook his head in amazement before looking down the road from where they came. "What could have done this?"

"Did you...see anything on the road beforehand?"

Talon paused and shook his head. "Nothing. Why? Did you?"

Just as Nate was about to voice his concern aloud, footsteps approached them from around the front of the car.

"Damn," Kyle's voice floated over them.

Nate looked up to see both Liz and her boyfriend had climbed out of Talon's open door.

"Do you have triple A?"

Nate smirked and stood up, before reaching into the drivers side window to grab his phone.

"No need for it when your Dad owns a tow truck and a car repair shop."

Kyle nodded in understanding and put his hands in his pockets, before Liz hooked her hand around his elbow, resting her head against Kyle's arm.

"I suppose you're right."

They all stood around while Nate spoke on the phone to Jacob, explaining the situation and reassuring him that they were fine. He told them where they were along the highway before Jacob assured him that they'd be there as soon as they could the truck on the road.

As it became evident that they weren't going to be getting to Port Angeles that evening, Nate pulled out his cell phone and called Marie. He walked along the gravel shoulder, away from the car and anyone else who would overhear his conversation.

The phone rang once, then twice. It wasn't until he heard an automated voice asking him to leave a message that he sighed. He had hoped that he could explain to her rather than to a machine. Having no choice, Nate ran his hand through his hair as the phone beeped.

"Hey Marie, this is Nate," he said, before he chuckled. "Crazy thing happened on the way to Port A. Um, would you believe that I blew out both the driver's side tires on the car? I'm getting a tow but there's no way I'll be able to make it out to see you tonight. I hope you aren't waiting for me right now cause that would make me feel worse than I already do."

He paused and looked up at the darkening sky. A few stars had already begun to come out.

"I was really hoping to see you again. We'll have to arrange for another time. Text or call me to let me know you got this message."

Nate quickly ended the message and pocketed his cell phone before heading back towards the car.

As the minutes ticked by, Nate sat in the drivers seat and played with the radio to pass the time. Outside, he knew that Talon was sitting on the ground with his back against the car. He couldn't see where Kyle or Liz had gone and as much as he didn't care, he did. It wasn't until he felt the car dip to the side with an increase in weight that he turned to the passenger seat beside him. To his surprise, it wasn't Talon who had sat down, but it was Liz.

She pulled the door closed and sat silently while Nate continued to turn the radio dial, the music playing softly..

"Where'd Kyle go?"

"He had to go to the bathroom," Liz replied, looking out the front windshield at the dark woods around them. The only light was emiting from the headlights shining ahead and the small overhead light between the two front seats.

"I made Talon go with him into the woods so that he wouldn't get lost in the dark."

Nate was surprised. Although Talon wouldn't admit it, he was afraid of the woods, for much of the same reason as it was for Liz. Those memories of Ryan and Nate disappearing in front of him in the woods when they were younger had instilled a fear that stuck with him to this day.

"I would've gone with Kyle if you had asked."

Liz snorted before she smirked.

"Yeah, right. You really think that I'd leave you alone with Kyle? You'd be liable to either scare him away or kill him."

Nate shook his head, just as Liz looked over at him.

"You know, I was hoping that you two could be friends. Kyle doesn't know any of my friends in La Push." She paused. "Actually, it was my Dad's idea that we go with you and Tal to Port Angeles. We could then all spend time together there and you could get to know him."

Nate sighed.

"Well, so much for that. Now we get to spend our evening along a dark, deserted road which ironically would be the perfect setting for a horror movie that opens up with a bunch of teenagers getting car trouble."

Liz ran her hands along her arms as she visibly flinched following Nate's comment. The atmosphere really did have the potential to be frightening.

"Stop it," she chastised with a smile. "You're not helping."

"Sorry," he said softly.

Liz looked over at Nate, watching as he continued to slowly turn the radio dial.

"Nate, I'm not upset about being stuck here. It's not like you planned for all of this to happen tonight."

He nodded silently, his eyes looking out the windshield.

"And as for what I was saying about Kyle, could you at least try to like him?"

"You want me fake it?"

Liz scoffed and smiled.

"Tell me, why is it so hard? What is it about him that you obviously dont like?"

Nate shrugged, shaking his head. "I don't know. I just don't like the guy."

Liz crossed her arms. "That's not a good enough answer. After everything you said about him tonight, you owe me that much."

"Fine then," Nate said, with a sigh. "You want to know what I think? I don't think he's good enough for you."

Liz sighed. She had asked and she had gotten her reply. Although she wasn't surprised by his response, it did cause her to give up hope in the pair ever getting along.

"Well, at least you, my Dad and Talon, all seem to share the same opinion about Kyle."

"Liz, it's not just Kyle. I'd say the same for any guy who you'd ever go out with," Nate explained, gently. "It goes the same with whomever Sarah eventually dates as well. I care about you and I only want the best for you."

"And you don't think Kyle is it?"

Nate winced, not wanting to answer her question as truthfully as she was demanding. Her pointed stare insisted that he answer.

Finally, he shook his head.

With a sigh, Liz looked down at her hands on her lap.

"I appreciate your honesty, Nate. But if you really care about me, you'd make an attempt to like Kyle and trust me when I say that I know what I'm doing, okay? Please, for me."

Nate sighed and hesitated before he finally nodded.

"Besides, you're going to have to put those feelings aside quickly because I signed Kyle up to join the La Push team for the soccer game against Makah tomorrow afternoon," Liz said with a broad smile, while she met Nate's expression of shocked surprise.

"He's playing? I thought this was just a Rez versus Rez type thing."

"Well, I asked your Grandpa about it and he thought it was a great idea to include some people from Forks in on the fun. In fact, a few of Kyle's friends from the grocery store where he works in Forks are playing as well, a few with La Push and a few with Makah."

"Oh," Nate began, allowing the news to sink in. "Wow. That's going to be...fun."

Although he wasn't opposed to having people from Forks join in on the game, he still wasn't too thrilled to hear that Kyle was on his team. He'd undoubtedly have to work with him and build strategy as they always had at the yearly Bazaar soccer games. But for Liz, he promised himself that he'd get along with the guy long enough for the game to end.

"Yeah, I can't wait," Liz said, smiling.

Just as she spoke, a flashlight from Kyle's cell phone came from the woods in the distance and then shone onto the shoulder. Two shadows followed behind it, making their way towards the car.

"Looks like the two of them survived the forest to take a bathroom break and returned in one piece," Nate said with a smile, while Liz nodded.

"Looks like it."

As she reached for the door to climb out of the car, Nate spoke Liz's name, reached over and touched her arm to get her attention. A sudden shock of electricity shot from Liz's arm and through Nate's fingers. Liz felt it as well and gasped just as Nate quickly pulled his hand away.

It was second before Liz started chuckling.

"Sorry about that," she said, looking down at the red upholstery that she was sitting on. "Must have given you a shock."

"Yeah," Nate said stoically, looking down at his fingers, rubbing his thumb over them.

He had received countless shocks of static electricity in his life, but none of them felt like that. The strange jolt sent a wave of sudden awareness to his entire body. For a few seconds, it felt as though his entire nervous system had come alive and awoke to experience a new perspective of the world around him. The air around them seemed to have a charge within it. But with as quickly as Nate had felt it, it disappeared, leaving him confused and strangely, empty.

Based on Liz's reaction, to her, it felt no different than getting a simple shock. Nate began to wonder if he was simply overanalyzing it.

"Were you going to say something?"

"Uh yeah," Nate said, momentarily forgetting about the strange sensation that he had felt. "I just wanted to apologize for teasing you so much. I know it was a bit extreme, even for me."

Liz shrugged. "I suppose we both could have shut up a bit."

"Agreed."

Liz climbed out of the car and rather than heading straight for Kyle right away, she closed the door and turned, bending over to look through the passenger side window.

"If it makes you feel any better, I feel the same way about you and Marie," Liz said, causing Nate to look at her in confusion. "I know that I haven't met her to be able to say this confidently, but I already know that she's not good enough for you. And honestly, from my perspective, I don't think there is a girl out there who would ever be good enough for you."

Nate smiled before she stood up as Kyle came up to her. The car obstructed his view of anything above their lower torso, but by the simple gesture of Kyle running his hand up Liz's back, he knew that she had kissed him. Nate rolled his eyes as Talon came to his window and sat back down on the ground against the car.

"I'm starting to wish I left him out in those woods," Talon said, causing Nate to chuckle as he leaned back in his seat to close his eyes.

Not more than a minute passed before he heard Talon speak his name again.

"Yeah?"

"I think that's your Dad's truck."

Nate sat up and saw the bright headlights coming towards them along the highway, slowing down as it approached. The truck already had its hazards on when Nate climbed out of the car to go move towards the hood of the car while Talon went towards the ditch to keep out of the way. They watched as Jacob turned the tow truck around and slowly backed up towards the car. Nate gave him the hand signals that they always used for jobs such as this. In the darkness, he could see his Dad's face in the mirror, watching him with the red lights of his brakes reflecting off Nate's face as he backed up.

Across the road, the Uley's SUV pulled up alongside the road. Nate paid it no attention as he kept his eyes on Jacob while he backed up.

Sam turned off the SUV and opened the door to get out. When the scent hit him like a brick wall, it caused Sam to momentarily pause. He hadn't smelled it so strongly in years; a decade even.

It was the Cullen's.

His eyes instinctively sought out his two oldest children for their safety and found them standing a good distance from the car by the wide ditch. Sam scanned the surrounding forest as he crossed the street to where Jacob was bringing the tow truck to a stop in backing up. He didn't have to say a word. A look of recognition passed Jacob's face the moment that he opened the truck door. Sam was certain that he saw his nostril's flare at the pungeant aroma. Quickly, the two men met each other's gazes and a look of understanding passed between the two.

"Bring the kids back home," Jacob told him softly, as he stepped down from the cab. "I'll take care of things here, take a quick look around and give Quil a call to investigate further."

"What the hell are the Cullen's doing here?!" Sam said between clenched teeth, his eyes unable to end the searching amongst the dark trees around them.

His attention turned to Nate as he approached.

"Both tires are a lost cause, I think," he said, before turning to walk with his Dad and Sam towards the car. "They're right down to the rims."

While Sam moved closer to Liz, Talon and Kyle while keeping an eye on the forest around them, Jacob crouched down beside the drivers side tire to look at it. He pressed his finger into the rubber, feeling the softness before running his thumb along the outer rim.

"They blew at the same time?"

Nate nodded, while Jacob stood up.

"Yeah, I must have hit...something on the road. I'm just lucky that all it did was do a 180 and not roll down the ditch."

"It's almost impossible to stop without loosing some control," Jacob said thoughtfully as he looked up and down the road for any sign of a cause that he could see.

As he thought, Sam instructed the kids to go across the road and get into his car so he could give them a ride home. Without hesitation and eager to get out of the darkness and following an instinctive desire to leave the place where vampires were obviously nearby, the kids obeyed. Sam followed behind them but paused when he saw Nate stop to turn back to his Dad.

"Could I ride back with you?"

"I'd prefer it if you went home right now with Mr. Uley," Jacob said firmly, walking around the Rabbit to inspect the rest of the car before he could lower the truck bed in preparation to pull it up.

At the same time, he was inhaling and quickly looking around for any evidence that the vampires had been close.

Nate sighed. "Honestly Dad, I'm not looking forward to sitting in the backseat next to Liz and Kyle for almost an hour."

Jacob looked up and met Nate's earnest gaze.

"Dad, I'll stay out of the way," Nate implored. "Hell, I'll just stay in the truck cab the entire time."

Jacob looked over at Sam, who didn't make any suggestion either way. They were talking about Jacob's son and instinctively it was Sam's drive to protect him as much as his own children. He simply waited for his alpha's order to either leave or to take Nate with him.

"Fine," Jacob said, begrudgingly. He turned to see Nate quickly making his way to the passenger side door of the cab before his Dad had the chance to change his mind.

The moment he heard the passenger door close, Jacob spoke to Sam.

"As soon as you get back to La Push, call for an immediate pack meeting at my Dad's place," Jacob said. "If the Cullen's are around, the others will want to know. Hopefully we'll have more answers by the time I get there."

Sam nodded, and turned to head to the SUV while Jacob moved to the flatbed of the truck. Jacob watched him leave, relieved that three of the kids were safe under Sam's protection. His eyes scanned the woods for sounds, and new smells as he worked to move the Rabbit onto the flatbed. As he pressed the controls for the hydraulic lift, Jacob pulled out his cell phone and called Quil. He informed him what was going on and much to the man's frustration in hearing the news about the Cullen's being nearby, he quickly agreed to come out to where they were. Within minutes, Jacob could sense Quil's presense within the woods. At one point, he heard the low rumbling of his growl in greeting before he caught a flash of him darting through the woods. As much as he wanted to phase in order to find out what Quil had discovered, he was aware of his son sitting in the cab, waiting for him.

The moment that the Rabbit was secure to the flatbed, Jacob quickly climbed into the drivers seat and started up the truck. He was vaguely aware of Nate looking down at his cell phone in his hands. Jacob was far more eager to get back to La Push and to get to that meeting.

After a few miles passed, Jacob glanced over at Nate in the passenger seat, seeing as his son had put away his cell phone. He hadn't said anything since before they had left the side of the road, and for him, it was unusual.

"You're awfully quiet," Jacob commented. "Is everything all right?"

Nate nodded. "Everything fine. I was just thinking."

"Nate, if it's about the car, don't worry about it. As long as the rims aren't cracked, getting the dents pounded out shouldn't be an issue. I'm just glad that you guys are all right. It really could have ended badly if you didn't react the way you did."

"It's not about the car," Nate said with a sigh, cracking his knuckles.

"Then what is it?"

Nate sighed, resting his head back in the seat.

"Just before the tires went blew out, I could have sworn I saw somebody run in front of the car. It was to the point where I was certain that the tires blowing out was because I hit the guy."

He turned to Jacob, watching as his Dad kept his eyes on the road ahead of them as he continued.

"Dad, I swear that it seemed like the guy just came out of nowhere and a second later, he was gone. I'm trying to convince myself that it wasn't real because there was no sign of a body or anything. But I saw him and...I just can't explain it. And...it's freaking me out to think that I could have...I could have hit someone."

Jacob looked over at Nate, sincerity in his eyes, yet within him, anger was brewing. In his mind, it was starting to make sense; what Nate had seen, the strong scent of the Cullen's and then the strange occurrence that both tires blew out for no substantial reason. Of course, it was all connected and unfortunately for Nate, he was in the wrong place at the wrong time.

"Nate, you didn't hit anyone," he assured him. "There was no sign of damage to the car that would indicate any type of accident. You must have just imagined it..."

"But I know what I saw, Dad and it was too real to be something that I just thought up."

"Okay," Jacob said, swallowing as he couldn't help but stew in the fact that the Cullen's could have been behind the tires blowing up and if Nate hadn't reacted properly, he and the others in the Rabbit could have been severely injured. Jacob gripped the steering wheel tightly blowing the anger out between his lips.

"I believe you."

* * *

"So, where the hell are they?"

Quil shrugged as he sat on the couch upon hearing Paul's exclamation. The entire pack were there along with Billy. He sat in his wheelchair, digesting the story that Jacob and Sam had told him along with Quil's report.

"I told you! I combed the entire forest from Forks to La Push and then along the highway where the kids got their flat," he snapped. "The only Cullen scent I found was where Sam and Jake had found it. It went out from there to the beach and disappeared."

"Bastards slipped into the ocean like the cowards they are," Jared suggested bitterly, from where he leaned against the wall in Billy Black's living room.

Seth nodded in agreement. "It's real gutsy of them to pull something like this. It doesn't sound like something they'd do though."

"I have to agree with Seth," Jacob said. "As much as the evidence is pointing towards the Cullen's being behind the kids nearly getting into a car wreck, I find it hard to believe that they'd come back just to make an attempt on their lives."

"Irregardless, their interference with the car could have caused the kids to be killed," Sam reminded him with a growl.

"But at the same time, if they've gone rogue and purposely came to try to kill the kids, then why didn't they finish the job?" Leah asked aloud, causing everyone to pause. She looked over at Jacob. "They must have known that Nate was in that car and that Talon and Liz were with him. What better way to cripple the pack than to go after the son of the Alpha. But they didn't."

Jacob nodded, hearing her viable argument. "What are you thinking then?"

"What if they were trying to protect them? I mean, the Cullen's have come here to do that before," Leah replied.

"Protect them?!" Sam exclaimed. "Like hell they were!"

"At least my theory has history to back it up!" Leah shouted back at him.

"Hey! Calm down! Both of you!" Jacob said sternly, causing both to quiet.

"First, there was the vampire attack on Charlie, Old Quil and Billy," Jacob said calmly, looking over at his father. "What if the Cullen's are aware of it?"

"Bella," Seth breathed, before looking up at Jacob. "If they know about the vampire attack then she'd know about Charlie."

Jacob clenched his teeth. "Of course. She'd come for him."

"But why now? Charlie's been in his coma for weeks," Embry argued.

"Seth and I have gone with Mom countless times to visit Charlie and as for me, I've never caught any Cullen scent while we were there," Leah said, while Seth nodded in agreement.

"And it doesn't explain why they suddenly showed up along the highway to blow up some car tires," Quil added.

Jacob sighed and ran his hands through his hair.

"We're going in circles here with no clear answers."

He paused and glanced at the men and two women in the cramped living room. Although they had changed with the passing years, the Alpha could still feel the respect and honour the pack felt towards him. They waited to hear what Jacob was going to say, what the plan of action was to be.

"We have the bazaar tomorrow," he said. "Because La Push is going to be swamped with people from all over, we're going to double up on patrol. Everyone will be taking a shift and will be working in pairs until we know what's going on around here."

* * *

Bella marched out into the dark woods with thoughts of Nate's message explaining the reason why he was unable to meet her in Port Angeles. She couldn't help but think that somehow Alice was involved in it. It was just too coincidental.

Following her scent, she came up to a fallen tree and saw the small girl sitting on it.

"There you are," Alice said happily. "Come sit beside me."

Bella stood in front of her.

"Alice, what did you do?"

The smile on her face faded.

"What do you mean?"

"Nate just left me a message saying that he was stuck on the side of the road because two of his car tires were flat," Bella explained.

"Oh, that's not good."

Bella crossed her arms.

"Did you have anything to do with it?"

"Alice didn't," a voice suddenly said from behind her. "I did."

That smooth voice, like velvet, melted her unbeating heart as she turned.

"Edward?"

He smiled.

"Hi Bella."

* * *

 ** _A/N - Hope everyone enjoyed this chapter. Thank you for all the reviews. I love hearing your thoughts!_**


	20. Chapter 20

"Edward...what are you doing here?"

"I could ask you the same thing," he said calmly, walking towards her. "Alice called me. She told me that originally you were planning on checking up on Charlie in the hospital, but instead you've been spending time with Jacob's son."

Bella quickly looked over at Alice, resentment in her face.

"You told him?!"

"You left me no choice," Alice quickly argued. "Bringing Edward here was the only way to keep you from seeing Nathaneal again."

"What? Why would you do that?"

Alice sighed.

"I had to, Bella. In every vision I had, you would have met up with Nathaneal tonight, except if I decided to call Edward," she told her. "He changed the course of tonight's events."

"So, that's why you weren't protesting when I decided to stay in Port Angeles longer," Bella concluded. "You knew that I intended to see Nate again."

Alice rolled her eyes.

"I was determined to keep you safe, and calling Edward was the one factor in altering a future where you wouldn't be fraternizing with Jacob's kid. Unfortunately, it may have just shifted things between our family and the wolves."

"What do you mean?"

Alice looked over at Edward, who shoved his hands into his pockets.

"I had to intervene so that Nathaneal wouldn't meet you tonight."

Bella thought over the implications in Edwards words.

"You mean, you purposely blew out the tires on the car that Nate was driving? Are you...are you crazy!? They could have been seriously hurt."

Alice shook her head.

"Bella, I would have warned Edward if I knew that his actions would put anyone in danger."

Bella looked over at Edward.

"Unfortunately, my presence near Jacob's son must have undoubtedly been brought to the Quilleute's attention by now," Edward said. "And without an active treaty, it's not safe for us here anymore. We're out numbered. We need to go back to Europe."

Bella shook her head.

"But Charlie," she said. "I have to know that Charlie will be fine and I don't want to leave until that happens."

Edward ran his hand over his face in frustration before meeting Alice's gaze. She nodded before he looked back to Bella.

"There's another reason why we should return."

Bella looked up at him as he sighed.

"The Volturi sent out scouts to our area shortly after you left, ensuring that we were still remaining neutral between their feud with the Romanians. But when they found out that both you and Alice had left, they were paranoid. And for good reason too. On my way here, I tracked a pair of Romanian agents to just outside of Seattle. I read their minds. They're intent on pursuading you to join their cause. Your presence here seems to be attracting them and if the Romanians are here, the Volturi wont be too far away to ensure we keep our word."

Bella quickly looked over at Alice.

"But you've been watching Aro's decisions."

Alice nodded.

"I have, but something strange is happening. Aro never made the decision to send out the scouts out to check up on us in France. It makes me wonder if someone else is doing it for him, which means..."

"Which means that we're completely in the dark about what the Volturi are planning," Bella concluded.

"Should they come, with the newest generation of Quileute's about to shift, it may not be the best place for an altercation between the two rivals should one occur."

"Wait...since when is the next generation of Quileute's going to be shifting? Except for meeting Nate the one time, we haven't gone anywhere near La Push."

Edward looked over at Alice who shrugged.

"Maybe it's the sudden increase in vampire population in the area or the proximity of the vampire who attacked Charlie and the others. Whatever it is, something is going to be causing the Quileute's to start shape shifting for the first time again."

"Are you sure?"

Alice nodded.

"I looked for Nate's future and although it is patchy being that he is around so many wolves, it disappears completely in a few days."

* * *

They couldn't have asked for a nicer day. The sun beat down on the small reservation. The cool breeze coming up from the ocean brought little relief from the heat, but it didn't damper any spirits. If anything, it simply made the crowds larger. The streets were filled with cars parked along the curbs while people moved amongst the booths in and around the tribal centre. Music was being played and children ran around. They carried helium balloons while their parents perused the many arts and crafts that were on display and for sale. The smells of fresh baked goods, and fried fish permeated the air, leaving those booths sure to be quickly sold out.

Eagerly looking through the crowds of people from where he sat, Liam sighed once again when he didn't see his brother. He was hungry and Nate had left him with his grandfather beneath the covered tent with multiple tables set up with wood work. Billy sat in his chair, watching his grandson with a smirk as he widdled away on his newest project while people came in to view his items that he had for sale. After another customer had left, Billy looked over at Liam to see that he hadn't moved from his position near the tent opening.

"I'm sure that Nate will come as soon as he can," Billy said to him. "With these crowds, there's sure to be a lineup at Sue's diner."

"I know," Liam said with a sigh as he came back to the chair beside where Billy sat working. "I'm hungry though. All I had for breakfast this morning was an apple."

Billy paused in his carving and turned to Liam. "It's no wonder you're hungry. Why didn't you eat more?"

Liam shook his head. "I didn't have the chance. We were up early to get here and Mom just gave me an apple before we left. She said that she was up in the night helping Aunt Sue with the fish fry. She looked tired. So, Dad brought us here and said he was going to to help Aunt Sue finish up so Mom could rest."

Billy nodded, having already known what was really going on and the story that they were planning on telling the kids. In reality, Jo had patrolled the night shift with Paul and Sam and had just gotten home that morning before the kids woke up. While Jacob said that he was going to go help Aunt Sue, he was actually taking over her patrol with Leah and Jared, who both replaced Paul and Sam.

Knowing that Jo would have been up all night and needed rest, Billy had instantly offered to watch Liam. Jacob had already assigned Nate to help Billy within his booth, so having Liam with them made it easier. At the same time, Rachel was more than willing to take Sarah with her for the day, allowing Jo to get some sleep before coming to the bazaar later that afternoon. The arrangement worked out well for everyone and allowed the pack to discreatly patrol La Push.

Throughout the morning, Billy's mind was on that pack who were working diligently to keep the reservation safe. Even as he spoke to prospective buyers of his wood carvings and friends who had come to shoot the breeze, he couldn't help but be wondering what was going on in the woods around La Push. He hadn't seen any of the pack members that morning and when he had finally spotted Kim walking past his booth with her 13 year old daughter, Jenna, she met his eyes. With a few words, she left Jenna at a booth across from Billy's and made her way over to him. Their short conversation that was spoken in code words concluded that Kim hadn't heard anything from Jared or anyone else from the pack, for that matter.

Knowing that the Cullen's were in the area left an uneasy feeling within him and he felt all the more concerned for his grandson's who undoubtedly were carrying the same gene's that he had passed down through his own children.

When a familiar voice flittered beneath his tent, Billy looked up from where he sat to see Liz Uley along with a taller, blond haired man at her side.

"Liz, my dear, it's so good to see you," he said, as he rolled forward. Liz met him halfway and leaned over to kiss his cheek. "Your Dad said that you'd be coming by around noon with some friends."

Liz smiled and nodded, before gesturing to the man that followed behind her.

"This is my boyfriend, Kyle," she said, grabbing the guys hand beside her. "The rest of his friends are around here somewhere."

Billy's eyes brightened upon hearing the name. All he knew about the boy was that he was Liz's boyfriend and that Nate had verbally threatened the guy. Now, he was finally able to put a face to a name. Physically, Kyle certainly looked like he could hold his own and Billy wasn't certain if he felt relieved or more concerned about that fact.

Still, Billy held out his hand before Kyle stepped forward to shake it.

"It's nice to meet you, Kyle," he said, shaking his hand. "I'm Billy." He looked over at Liz, watching as her face beamed up at the man standing beside her before he looked back at Kyle. "You're a lucky man. Liz is a very special woman."

Kyle looked at Liz standing closely beside him and nodded. "I agree completely."

While Liz smiled at the compliments, she took ahold of Kyle's arm and leaned into him.

"Billy is an elder and the closest thing you'll get to a Chief here in La Push," Liz explained, with a smile.

"Wow," Kyle said, with an air of both surprise and honour. "It's a pleasure to meet you, sir."

Billy smiled.

"I hope that you're enjoying your time in La Push."

Kyle nodded with a smile. "I am. Everyone is very friendly here. And the food is wonderful. That fish fry is out of this world!"

Billy chuckled and nodded. "The Clearwater family's specialty. You know, my daughter-in-law is a Clearwater and I swear it's gotta be in their blood to be able to make it without drying it out. Unfortunately, my grandkids have yet to master it, but I have high hopes of keeping that talent within the family."

"Nate's pretty close though, Grandpa," Liam called out as he came up beside Billy. "Mom's going to teach me too."

Billy smiled and gestured to Liam to come towards him. He put his arm around his back.

"And this is Liam, my grandson."

Liam smiled as something suddenly clicked in Kyle's head as he looked at Liam. He turned back to Billy.

"Nate? Are you talking about Nate Black?"

Billy nodded. "Yes, he's my eldest grandson. I've heard that you had met."

Kyle smiled, albeit weakly and nodded. "Yeah, we've met. He's a...well, he seems like a passionate guy. I heard that he and I are playing on the La Push team this afternoon at the soccer game."

Liam shook his head. "Not anymore. I heard that players that had signed up from Makah backed out. So the teams were rearranged. Mr. Uley was joking this morning that it was looking to be more like a Forks versus La Push game."

Liz shrugged, squeezing Kyle's hand. "Either way, it sounds like it would be a great game to watch."

"Indeed," Billy said, his eyes travelling past the pair in front of him.

He had spotted Nate coming towards them through the crowds. Except, he didn't look the same as when he had left and he wasn't alone. Still, Billy couldn't help but smile and for a good reason.

Nate's face had been painted. A single line of white ran across his eyes from one side of his head to the other while black paint went around it. Two bold red lines went down his cheeks from below his eyes to his chin. On his shoulders, he carried two year old, Joy Ateara, who had her face painted nearly identically to him. She giggled as it was obvious that he was bouncing in his step and singing along with a song that she was attempting to sing. He held onto her leg with one had while the other carried a plastic bag, most likely their lunch.

With a smile on his face, Nate walked over with Joy sitting high on his shoulders but the expression faltered and he forced it to remain on his face when he saw Liz and Kyle.

"Hey Liz, Kyle," Nate said, passing the plastic bag to Liam's waiting and eager hands before he lifted Joy up and over his head and placed her on the ground.

He turned to Billy.

"Sorry I'm late with lunch, Grandpa.

"That's quite all right," Billy replied, before gesturing to Nate's face. "I see that you ran into Claire."

"Yeah, its kinda hard to say no to getting your face painted when you have this little cutey asking you," he said, smiling broadly at Joy. "And then I was given the same little girl to look after for a few hours so Claire didn't have to worry about her getting into the face paints."

He poked Joy in the stomach, causing her to giggle before she noticed Liz standing next to her.

Liz crouched down just as Joy jumped into her arms for a hug.

"You remember my friend Kyle, right?"

The little girl nodded and waved shyly at him.

"Hey Nate!" Liam shouted, pulling out the food that Nate had brought. "You and Joy look like some Quileute warriors ready for battle."

Nate chuckled, bending over towards Joy. "Yeah, me and my little cousin are ready to take on our enemies. What do you say Joy? Ready to go find some bad guys?"

He held out his hand for her to slap five but instead the little girl shook her head before pulling at her pants, telling Nate that she had to go to the bathroom. Knowing that Quil and Claire were in the process of potty training the little girl, Nate was about to look up at Liz to see if she could take her. Before he even had to ask, Liz had put out her hand towards Joy and offerred to take her to the bathroom, excusing herself from Kyle and assuring both he and Nate that the two of them would be right back.

As Kyle watched Liz quickly walk hand in hand with Joy before she picked up the little girl to make their way swiftly through the crowds and towards the tribal centre, Nate moved to stand beside Kyle.

"She's cute, isn't she?"

Kyle turned to him, confused. "Wha...who? You mean, Joy, right?"

Nate nodded.

"Yeah, she's cute."

He paused for a moment before he spoke again.

"So, how are you and Liz related?"

A smile came to Nate's face before he quickly glanced back at Billy while he rolled towards Liam to get his lunch. He shook his head.

"We're not, not related. At least not directly. Probably far down the line, we are."

"Everyone in La Push are somehow related," Billy called out from where he sat, opening his sandwich. "Everyone within the tribe are all distant cousins in a way."

"But I thought..." he paused, looking over at Billy before turning to Nate. "You called Joy, your cousin."

Nate nodded. "She is."

"Liz has told me that Joy is hers as well."

Nate laughed, understanding now where Kyle was getting confused.

"Like my Grandpa said, we're all distant cousins."

"Liz is 2nd cousins with Joy through her Mom's side, while Nate is 3rd cousins with her through her Dad's side," Billy quickly explained. Nate chuckled.

"Grandpa is an expert when it comes to figuring out the family trees."

"Consider it a prerequisite for being on the tribal council," Billy joked.

It wasn't too much longer before Liz returned, carrying Joy on her hip. She had placed her back on the ground, allowing the little girl to run beneath the tent towards where Billy and Liam were eating. Liz took Kyle's hand and wished them a good afternoon before Kyle told Nate that he'd be looking forward to beating him on the soccer field.

Nate laughed.

"Oh, this will be fun," he mumbled to himself before heading beneath the tent.

Before long, the day quickly turned into mid-afternoon as the soccer game appeared to be getting underway. Just as Liam had projected, one team was consisting only of La Push residents versus those from Forks. Being that there were many people visiting from off the reservation, it made for a unique and fun spectator game to watch for all.

Yet Ryan couldn't help but admit about the fact that they were playing against a bunch of pale-faced football players.

"It hardly seems fair," he commented, as he stood around the large net on one side of the field. "A lot of those guys are pretty beefed and we have girls playing on our team."

"I have to agree with Ryan," Nate said.

Talon shrugged. "We have some pretty solid players ourselves."

He gestured to Jonah Cameron and Derek Call jogging across the field towards them. Derek's twin sister, Danielle walked out with Liz at her side. The girls were tying their hair up high on their heads as they came up to them.

"So, it's the seven of us against ten of them?" Jonah said, glancing at the other team gathering at the other end of the field.

"We can take them," Derek stated, smiling proudly, punching his fist into his hand.

Talon snorted. "Kyle said that a few of the guys he brought play for the soccer team at Forks High School. None of us have ever played on a formal team before. They already have that against us."

"Don't let that get to you, Tal," Liz said, elbowing him. "A few of their guys are short."

"I'd say one or two are probably smaller than us, but the rest look to be equally matched," Jonah concluded.

"It's still an uneven team," Ryan repeated. "Maybe we should just back out. I'd hate to loose to a bunch of pale faced jocks."

"So, because it looks too hard, you all are going to quit?!"

They all turned at the new voice behind them, surprised to see Leah Clearwater standing on the field with them. Her hands were on her hips and she held a clipboard in her hand.

"I would have thought I taught you all this past year about not giving up." She sighed and rolled her eyes. "Forks is going to be rotating three players. You'll still be playing seven on seven."

"And we'll be tired as hell by the time we're done," Ryan complained. "It wont be a fair game."

"So, you're going to forfeit to the pale-faces because you're afraid?"

"I'm not afraid," Ryan quickly shot back.

"Me neither," Talon added, to which Jonah, Nate and the others agreed.

"Well then, get it together and act like it," Leah told them. "You're representing La Push."

Seeing the curt nods and looks of determination across the faces around her, Leah smiled, satisfied that her team had the proper attitude once again. She looked down at the clipboard in her hand.

"The one benefit of being your PE teacher this past year, I know all of your strengths," Leah said. "So, I've arranged the positions to use those strengths to give us the upper hand."

The group moved towards Leah as she explained her strategy before moving off to the sidelines. She stood and watched as the kids that she had taught all year moved into the positions she had placed them as the game started.

Further down the sidelines, Jo sat down next to Billy, softly thanking him for looking after Liam that day. Jacob appeared at her side a few minutes later along with Rachel and Paul.

"How is our team doing?" Rachel asked, watching as the game had already begun and the ball was being kicked around at the far end of the field.

"They just started," Jo replied, as Paul began shouting encouragement at the La Push team.

Rachel momentarily covered her ears before she rolled her eyes. Jo chuckled, as Jacob and Jared quickly followed suit, yelling at the boys and girls. When the Forks team managed to get past the defence and were heading towards La Push's goal, Talon watched the ball from where he stood, guarding the net. When the ball was kicked at the goal, he jumped up but he missed it. The ball sailed into the net, causing the Forks team to errupt into cheers.

Talon bent over and breathed deeply as Ryan came running up to him, and patted him on the back.

"You all right, man? You wanna trade out?"

Talon looked up, a fierce determination in his eyes as he shook his head.

"No, I got this," he nearly growled, as he glared down the opposing team from where he stood.

Leah watched from the sidelines, overhearing the short conversation and Talon's reaction. She glanced over at Sam, working as referee, as he waited for the game to restart. He undoubtedly had heard his son's tone and words.

As the game began once again, La Push managed to get the ball towards Forks' net. This time, Danielle moved forward before kicking the ball over to Jonah. As a player from Forks came towards him, he quickly moved around the player earning him a well-deserved shout of excitement from La Push's cheering section along the sidelines. When he suddenly found himself surrounded, he kicked the ball to Nate but it never made it to him. Instead, Kyle ran forward and intercepted the ball before continuing away from Forks' side of the field.

With a growl, Nate's feet slid on the grass, as he quickly turned and raced back after him. Rather than coming up from behind Kyle, he moved up from the side. Nate quickly kicked the ball across Kyle's body towards where Derek was coming up the otherside of him. With the momentum that Kyle was moving, Nate's foot inadvertantly got between Kyle's and he tripped him up, sending them both crashing into each other.

The boys landed on the ground hard, and the whistle was blown.

"Whoa Nate!" Ryan exclaimed, running up towards his cousin, completely out of breath. Nate laid flat on his back. "That was awesome! You seriously got some air with that fall!"

"You okay?" Derek asked as Jonah, and Danielle ran up beside him.

Nate nodded, as Derek pulled him to his feet. Talon jogged up to them from where he had been standing at the net in time to see Nate stand up.

"I think so," he said, somewhat astonished at the fact that he wasn't injured. Nate looked over at Kyle to see him with two of the Forks players helping him off the field. Liz was at his side, helping. Kyle groaned with the movement. It was obvious that he had hurt his ankle in the shuffle and fall.

"You sure?" Jonah asked. "It's crazy that you came out of that without even a bruise."

"Yeah, I'm good."

Sam walked up to him, looking him up and down before he sighed.

"You're good enough to play?"

Nate nodded, and gestured to where Kyle was being assisted in sitting down. Sue Clearwater was at his side along with Liz, prepared with ice packs for his ankle.

"How's Kyle?"

"Looks like he may be out," Sam replied, glancing back before looking at Nate. "I'm really close to calling that accident a foul against your team."

Nate's eyes quickly focused back on Sam's.

"I need to know if it was deliberate."

Nate shook his head, somewhat offended that Sam would even consider it

"Of course it wasn't."

"You sure?"

For a moment, Nate had to think back. He remembered the emotion, the adrenaline and frustration that he felt when Kyle had darted between the pass Jonah intended to make to him. The feeling of having something stollen from him that was always intended for him had honestly angered him. Nate remembered that. He had only one thing on his mind as he chased Kyle down; Kyle wasn't going to win. As confused as he was, Nate was sure that he wouldn't have purposely gone out of his way to hurt someone.

"I'm certain."

With nothing left to say, Sam simply nodded before heading over to Kyle to check on him as Leah came up to the La Push team once again. She glanced over at Nate as he seemed to be unable to look away from where Kyle was being attended to. Leah had to call his name a few times at one point just to get his attention. Nate's focus just wasn't on the game at the moment.

Neither was Kyle, but for good reason.

The pain radiated around his right ankle as Sue gently pressed against it. Kyle hissed and clenched his fist. The ankle had swelled up quickly and was already brusing on the outside.

"You're going to have to keep ice on it for the time being," Sue said, covering the ankle with an ice pack. "I doubt that it's broken. Looks like a very bad sprain."

"So, what's the verdict?" Sam asked, as Sue sighed.

"He's done for the game. There's no way that he can play on the ankle."

Kyle cursed under his breath as he glared out at the field to where the La Push team had grouped together.

"Nate says that it was an accident," Sam told him. "I want to get your opinion."

Kyle snorted, fighting the urge to roll his eyes.

He had played his fair share of soccer games and had been the recipient and the giver of countless fouls. Kyle knew a deliberate trip-up when he felt it and this wasn't anything unusual. The only thing that confused him was how Nate was able to hit him so hard that he ended up spraining his ankle and Nate walked away perfectly fine.

As much as he wished for the team to get a free-kick on the La Push team, he felt that Nate was far more deserving of something else.

Kyle shrugged. "As far as I know, it was an accident. Nate was going for the ball, and I tripped and we collided into each other."

Sam watched Kyle, listened to his words and although he didn't entirely believe him, he wasn't about to challenge them. Instead, Sam nodded and moved back out towards the field, gathering the remaining Forks team along with the La Push team.

Just as Liz was about to stand up to go back to join the teams, Kyle grabbed her hand.

"Hey! Tell Nate, no hard feelings, okay? This wasn't his fault."

Liz smiled and nodded before running out onto the field.

The rest of the game progressed over the one hour, leaving La Push to lose by two. As the La Push team made their way over to where their belongings had been sitting along the sidelines, Nate walked over to where the team from Forks were celebrating.

"Losers are over there," one of the Forks players called out earning a loud bark of laughter from the rest of the group.

Nate smiled and nodded before gesturing to Kyle.

"I was just wanting to talk," he said, moving past the group standing around to where Liz was sitting on the ground beside Kyle, eating some food.

Kyle looked up when Nate stood in front of him.

"I wanted to apologize for what happened out there," Nate said.

Kyle smiled and shrugged. "It wasn't your fault. It could have happened to anyone. And like I told Liz to tell you, no hard feelings, man."

Nate glanced at Liz and looked back at Kyle. "Yeah, she told me. But still, I feel horrible over what happened."

"Well, if it makes you feel better, I forgive you." He paused, reaching into the bag beside him. "And tell you what - take these. We have too much food going on over here as it is."

He held out a ziplock bag of cookies out to him.

"I picked these up from one of the stands at the bazaar earlier today," he said.

Nate took the bag and thanked him before leaving him to celebrate with the rest of his team.

Liz wrapped her arm around Kyle's back, appreciative of his gesture towards Nate. Kyle watched as Nate approached his team and held open the bag of cookies, it was quickly passed around and a smile came to Kyle's face as he watched Nate eat.

As it appeared that Rachel wanted to get a photo of the La Push team together, Liz left Kyle's side to join the team on the field.

"Hey Kyle!" One of his teammates called out, as he dug through the pile of their belongings. "Where are your cookies you bought?"

"Gave them away to the La Push team."

The teammate snorted. "Those cookies made with the almond flour were good. I can't believe you gave them away to those guys. That La Push guy tripped you up."

"It's no big deal," Kyle stated, watching the La Push team as they laughed and smiled while they were grouped closely together for pictures. "I wanted to do something nice for him. He apologized."

His teammate smiled and looked over at the La Push team.

"It's not like you to be so friendly to someone who clearly hurt you on purpose," the guy said. "Man, this could set you back for the football season when we start up in the fall."

"I know," Kyle groaned. "I need that football scholarship for university next year." He paused and shook his head, his eyes focused back on Nate as he shoved a cookie into his mouth. "But I'm not worried about it."

"Glad you aren't," his friend said as he sat down beside Kyle.

As time went on, Kyle watched and waited but to his surprise and growing bitterness, nothing happened.

Nate was perfectly fine.

Kyle had known that the cookies were made with almond flour and had been informed by the woman selling them at the booth of that fact. Looking for something high in protein for the game that day, he bought them. He was aware that anyone with a nut allergy could be susceptible to reacting to the flour in the cookies, which is why he decided to give them to Nate. Kyle was aware of how dubious it was to purposely put him in danger in that way, but from Kyle's perspective, it was an 'eye for an eye'. He could have cost him his football scholarship and he couldn't stand how Nate stood in front of him and apologized for something that was clearly deliberate. Kyle was beyond pissed.

He couldn't help but clench his teeth as he watched Nate eat another cookie with Liz at his side as they posed for another picture, her arm wrapped around his waist, both of them smiling. His girlfriend had no clue how blind she had been by Nate's apparent and his obvious deception. He could have been faking it for years. His mind went back to the reaction he had that day at the cafe that interrupted their date. If that was Nate's plan all along, he had succeeded. Kyle remembered how distracted Liz was after that, her mind focused on how Nate was doing. At the time, he was just as concerned, but now, he was angry to find that Nate used his girlfriend and manipulated her emotions.

As Kyle watched them, he could see how close Nate and Liz were; closer than Liz ever admitted. He knew that telling her this new revelation could break up that friendship, or whatever relationship they denied having. Kyle smiled, knowing it was valuable information that he undoubtedly knew would crush Nate, and nothing would make him more satisfied than that.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _So...yeah, Kyle was pretty evil for retaliating in that way...but the crux of it all is that no one even knows he did it. It is a symptom of his impending phasing...his body is no longer reacting to allergens as it had before. So now, the question is...will Kyle tell Liz now, or will he keep it to himself to use at a later time?_**

 ** _And what about the Volturi now? What are the Romanian's up to?_**

 ** _Thoughts?_**

 ** _Please Review!_**


	21. Chapter 21

The sun had set over the reservation, washing the sky in brilliant pinks and purples before the first stars began to appear. While the embers of the bon fire began to crackle and brighten, Sam stood with his arms crossed in front of him as he watched the road in front of Billy Black's home. Liz was late even after she had assured her father that she'd be at this bon fire that he insisted that she attend. While Quil and Seth continued the patrol around La Push, the rest of the pack had already arrived and he could hear the laughter of the younger boys around him as they had undoubtedly gotten into the chips and were passing them around.

"Everything okay, Sam?" Jacob asked, as he walked up beside him.

Sam sighed. "Liz is late. It's not like her."

Jacob nodded, looking out towards the deserted road. There was no sign of anyone walking up it.

"We can give her a few more minutes," he told him. "Dad would understand."

Sam shook his head, pulling out his cell phone to check to see if he had missed a call.

Nothing.

Between Talon and Liz, the two shared a cell phone and more often than not, Talon had it on him as Liz was often with Kyle and she could be reached through his number. So, even after Sam had tried calling Kyle's number, he still got no answer.

"No, the rest of us are here," Sam told him. "We should start to give Billy as much time as he thinks is necessary."

Jacob walked back towards the fire pit with Sam at his side. Seeing his father watching him, Jacob gave a small nod before moving to sit between Nate and Sam.

With a sigh, Billy began.

"The Quilleute's have always been a small tribe but while we lacked in number, we had our strength in something more powerful than our ancestors ever thought possible. You all know that the story of our tribe states that we had descended from wolves. But that same magic that transformed our ancestors from wolves into man still exists within us to this day."

Billy continued, explaining how it all started with their ancestor Taha Aki and the battle that ensued against the Cold Ones, resulting in the death of his son and wife and most of the tribe, leaving him to be the only spirit warrior who survived, and whom many of the living Quilleute's were descendants of.

As he had finished the story, the only sound was the crackling of the fire in front of him.

Billy looked around the fire at the pack and their sons sitting beside them. His eyes fell on Ryan and Nate, as the pair seemed to stare right into the fire. They sat beside each other and seemed to be deep in thought. With a sigh, Billy smiled.

"I suppose we should continue with another story if anyone is wanting to start..."

"So, what happened to them?"

Billy looked across the fire at Ryan, surprised not only to be interrupted but also to hear the question.

"Ryan, what do you mean?"

"The Cold Ones," he replied. "Did they ever return?"

By the looks on the faces of the other boys, it was a question that they were waiting to hear the answer for. Meanwhile, the pack looked on, wondering how or even if, Billy was going to answer.

"They did," he replied. "And it is when they are near that the magic returns. The spirit warrior within us feels compelled to rise to the surface to protect the tribe."

When a sudden sound of an engine and then headlights pulled up along the road in front of Billy's house, everyone turned. Sam recongized the car instantly as his own and then the scent of Liz as the door opened.

He stood up, hearing the quickened heartbeat as it approached.

"Excuse me one moment," he said softly towards Jacob as he moved away from the bonfire.

The young woman approached, her face flushed and her hair completely out of place. Before she even spoke a word, Sam could detect another scent on her - Kyle.

"Dad, I'm so sorry," she said, gasping to catch her breath. "I came as soon as I remembered."

"Where have you been?" He demanded, but his face softened when he saw that her eyes were red.

"The hospital in Forks," she replied, not willing to make eye contact with him. "Kyle wanted to get his ankle x-ray'd and I went along with him."

"Lizzie," Sam said softly, his hand reaching out towards his chin, raising her face up to look at him. Seeing the tears in her eyes shot straight to his heart, but at the same time, knowing she had been with Kyle caused a deep anger to begin to boil within him.

"What's wrong?"

As the tears began to come out of her eyes, he watched as she glanced over at the bonfire. Knowing that they had an audience but not caring, he pulled her into his arms, holding her close to his chest.

After she cried for a few seconds, he let her go, intent on finding out what was going on.

"It was Kyle..."

"Did he hurt you?" Sam exclaimed, his immediate assumption jumping to that conclusion.

His outburst caught the attention of the others at the bonfire and caused more than one of the pack to stand up in concern.

Liz shook her head.

"No, he didn't," she replied. "I told him I had to leave and he wanted me to stay."

She wiped her eyes with her fingers. "He accused me of not wanting to stay because he thinks that I'm in love with..." She paused, taking a deep breath, glancing over at the bonfire and the shadows that sat around it. "..that I love the people here more than I do for him and that he's not as important to me. He told me that he loves me and I just couldn't say it back to him."

Liz shook her head embarrassingly.

"I'm sorry, Dad. I will apologize to Billy."

Sam grabbed her by the arm and pulled her into his chest, wrapping his arms around her before resting his forehead against the top of her head.

"What Kyle said was manipulative and if he knew you well enough, he'd know that you have a big heart for your tribe. He doesn't understand that," he told her. "But you're here now, that's what matters. And although you're late, I'm glad that you respect the tribe enough to honourably ask for forgiveness."

Liz took a deep breath and nodded against Sam's chest.

"Thanks Daddy," she said softly as he kissed the top of her head.

After a moment, he led her towards the bonfire. Billy watched as Liz, her eyes still red, as she stood in front of him with the dignity, grace and strength that he'd expect from her as she apologized to him for being late. He smiled at Liz and nodded, before asking her to take a seat beside her brother.

* * *

The evening had slowed down, causing Billy to take his leave and over time, the pack slowly decided it was time to go home. As the fire was still burning, the kids decided to stick around and enjoy the clear night sky and the pleasant evening. It wasn't every night that the La Push sky was clear enough to see the stars above them.

Nate and Ryan sat side by side, leaning against the fallen logs, their feet outstretched towards the fire. They laughed as Jonah accused Derek of being afraid during the bonfire.

"I saw your eyes get huge when Mr. Black was talking about the shape shifting man-wolves," Jonah chuckled. "Dude, you're forgetting that these are just stories...myths!"

"Yeah man, but you gotta admit, he tells a pretty good scary story," Derek quickly retorted. "I remember getting nightmares when I was a kid."

"When was that? Last week?" Jonah teased, causing Derek to causally flip him the finger from across the fire.

The others laughed aloud at the exchange.

"Is that all that he talked about?" Liz asked thoughtfully, as she grabbed a handful of chips from the bag that Talon held out to her. She was actually glad to have missed that part. The kids all had heard about Liz's experience in the woods of when she claimed to have seen a giant wolf.

"Oh, but you missed the new stuff that he added to them," Ryan said from across the fire.

"Yeah, the cold ones! Ohhhh," Talon said, feigning fear as he elbowed Liz beside him. She pushed him away, before looking over at Ryan.

"Cold ones?"

"They're the type of tribe that the wolves fought against," Ryan explained. "Nearly destroyed the Quileutes leaving only one spirit warrior to survive against them. And apparently a few from the tribe are descendants of him."

"Do you think that the Cold Ones still exist?" Talon asked.

"Tal, if they still exist, then those wolves that can turn into men would have to then too," Jonah told him.

Silence fell over the group as eyes seemed to travel over to Liz.

Derek laughed, breaking the uneasy silence. "Remember, it's just a story guys. It's not true."

"Story or not, I'm not walking home on my own tonight and I'm not ashamed to say it," Ryan said, as he pushed himself up to stand. He looked over at Talon, knowing his house was along the way.

Nodding at the silent request, Talon stood up before looking over at Liz. "Want to come home with us?"

She chuckled. "With you two yahoo's? I think I'd prefer to hear you scream like girls from here rather than you guys try to freak me out along the road which I'd know you'd do."

They nodded, before waving at the group that stayed behind. At the last minute, Jonah and Derek seemed to look at each other before quickly standing up and running into the darkness in the direction that Talon and Ryan had just went in. Nate looked over his shoulder, no longer seeing the boys but hearing their chuckling before a loud scream was heard in the darkness.

He laughed, before turning to see Liz who was giggling.

"That, is why I didn't want to go with those boys."

Nate shook his head. "I wouldn't blame you. They're all made for each other."

"And you too," Liz added, as she stood up so she could move closer. Talking through the smoke of the glowing embers of the fire wasn't the same as face to face. "You're just like them, as much as you may hate to admit it."

Nate snorted as Liz sat down beside him. She rested her back against the log behind them. The ground was cold and damp through her jeans, but the warmth that the small fire gave off made up for it. Liz looked over at Nate to find him staring up at the sky above them.

"What are you looking at?" Nate said, a smile appearing on his face upon feeling her eyes on him.

"I was just wondering the same thing about you," she told him, causing Nate to glance over at her.

With a sigh and a smirk, he pointed up at the sky above them.

"Saturn."

"Really? Where?" Liz asked, instantly interested. She moved in closer to get a good angle on where Nate was pointing.

He glnaced at her before turning his attention back to the sky.

"See the Big Dipper?"

Liz looked up, finding the image in the night sky that her Dad had taught her to find as a child. Having spotted it, she nodded. Nate caught her nod by the corner of his eye before raising his hand into the air and pointed at the sky.

"Now, go to the end of the handle," he told her. "Now, we're going to count three stars."

He counted them out, moving his hand in the direction.

"And from this one here, see this long line of stars curled slightly?"

Liz nodded, watching Nate's hand as he pointed them out.

"That is the constellation scorpius," he told her. "Looks a bit like a scorpion with this area being the tail. But if you follow it this way, this brighter, yellow coloured star is saturn."

"Wow," she said, a smile on her face. "How did you know that?"

Nate shrugged looking up at the night sky.

"Many late nights outside with grandpa when I was younger," he told him. "He taught me how to find the North Star if I'm ever lost at night and the interest just went from there."

Liz nodded in understanding.

"I had no clue that you knew about astronomy. Talon never mentioned it."

Nate shrugged. "Talon doesn't know. It's just an interest of mine."

"Well, what else can you see?"

Nate chuckled.

"What would you like to see?"

Liz thought for a moment before she mentioned Mars. Nate nodded and quickly searched the night sky before his eyes spotted it. Once again, he directed her by pointing out the stars that she could recognize until they landed on Mars.

Silence fell between them for a few seconds before Liz sighed.

"It's amazing to think that those planets and stars are so far away and we can still see them with our eyes," she said softly. "If someone was laying on Mars right now, looking back at us, they'd have no idea that we're looking right back at them."

"It really makes you realize how small we are in comparison to the universe," Nate added, to which Liz nodded, her eyes still on the sky above.

Suddenly, she gasped and pointed at the sky above them.

"Did you see that?"

"What?"

"A shooting star," she replied, before pointing out in the sky exactly where she had seen it. "It was there for just a second."

Nate smiled. "Maybe another one will go by."

They waited in silence, just watching the sky above them as the fire crackled at their feet, growing dimmer as time went on, slowly blanketing them in darkness. Nate noticed Liz as she adjusted her position against the log. Realizing that it must be uncomfortable fo her, he put out his arm, allowing her to rest against it rather than the hard wood of the fallen tree.

Under any other circumstance, Liz knew that she should be uncomfortable by the gesture. But with Nate, she wasn't. The act was simply him being courteous and thoughtful; being Nate. She could feel the heat of his arm against her upper back, warming her as she looked up at the sky above them.

"This is fun," Liz commented softly. "I've never really just sat back and looked at the stars before."

"Never?"

She shook her head.

"Well, if you ever really want to get a good look at the night sky, I know of a place," Nate told her. "My Dad took me there a few years ago. You have to walk in from a back road but once you're in the clearing, the sky is so clear. On a good night, you could see countless galaxies. If the moon isn't out, the stars are so bright that they can light up the entire clearing. It's amazing."

Liz watched Nate as he spoke with passion about the place Jacob had brought him and she couldn't help but smile at his genuineness.

"I'd love that," she told him, causing Nate to look over at her.

Just as Nate was about to speak again, the sound of Billy's back door opened before they heard his voice.

"Nate?! You out there?!"

Nate sat up, so he could be seen by the fire. Liz sat up alongside him, allowing his arm to be freed from behind her.

"Yeah, Grandpa. What's up?!"

"Your Dad called. Told me to send you on home. It's getting late."

He paused and squinted. "Is that Liz Uley out there with you?"

"Yeah, it's me, Billy," she replied.

Billy smiled.

"Nate, if you could be so kind as to walk her home first, I'm sure that Mr. Uley would appreciate that."

"Sure Grandpa," Nate said, glancing over at Liz.

"Oh, and make sure that fire is out before you go."

Nate rolled his eyes and chuckled.

"Yes, Grandpa."

They could hear Billy chuckling as he rolled back into the house and shut the door behind him. As he did, Nate stood up and proceeded to put out the fire. When it was sufficiently out, he looked over at Liz to see her standing by the log.

"So, you want to take the path through the woods or the road?"

Liz winced. "The road would probably be better."

With a nod, they made their way towards the road. Although it was just as dark as it would be in the woods, Nate could understand her fear. The night mixed with the talk of the Cold Ones and wolves didn't go well with the woods. After a few minutes of walking side by side, Liz spoke.

"Do you ever think about that day when we were lost in the woods as kids?"

Nate nodded silently. "I had the worst asthmatic attack of my life that day. It's hard to remember details but that I wont ever forget. I could barely breathe. I thought I was dying."

"You know that I swear that I saw a huge wolf that day," Liz told him. Nate knew of this. Many of their experiences that day were sought to be their imagination mixed in with the stories they had always heard as children, simply amplifying their fears. "Do you know what I think it really was?"

"What?"

"I'm wondering if these stories that Billy are telling us about descending from wolves are not just stories," she told him. "What if that wolf I saw that day, was actually a man?"

Nate chuckled. "That's impossible, Liz. The stories are legends, just a way to explain things that the tribe couldn't understand and they're forever stuck in Quileute mythos. Grandpa just does a pretty good job making it sound real."

Liz sighed and walked ahead silently. By her pace it was obvious that she wasn't impressed with his response.

"Come on, Liz," Nate begged with a chuckled, walking up quickly beside her. "What do you want me to say? Yeah, you saw a Spirit Warrior in the woods, even though we've always been told that they were stories?"

"I thought that you'd be a little more open considering what you had gone through that day and experienced rather than simply brush off what I saw as being impossible," she snapped back at him. "You and Ryan were stuck up at the top of a god-damn tree and neither of you climbed the stupid thing!"

Nate sighed. "Liz..."

The sound of a rustling leaves and then twig snapping caught Nate's attention as he quickly turned towards the woods alongside one side of the road. Nate wasn't the only one who heard it. Liz came up beside Nate, scowling as she stared into the woods.

"I'm betting on it being the guys out there," Nate said softly so that Liz could hear her. She nodded in agreement.

A smile came to her face.

"I've got an idea," she whispered, gesturing to Nate to follow her into the woods. "Were going to get them at their own game."

Nate was not only surprised by her willingness to go into the woods, but also by her desire to seek retribution against the guys. With a smile, Nate followed after Liz. Although it was a clear night, the canopy above them made the woods even darker. It was an advantage against the guys that Nate appreciated.

Nate instinctively moved ahead of her and gestured silently towards a large tree, wide enough that the two could stand behind without being seen.

"They can't be too far ahead," she whispered softly, barely audibly. "We'll wait here until they come near the road again and jump out."

Her smile in the darkness was nearly luminescent and her excitement was contagious. Nate couldn't help but smile with her.

When the sudden hoot of an owl alerted them to his presence in the tree above them, Liz jumped. She startled to the point that she grabbed ahold of Nate's t-shirt, pulling herself into him in an effort to conceal herself.

"Liz, it's just an owl," Nate said softly, looking down at her.

Liz hadn't let go of his shirt and could feel the strong heat from beneath his shirt radiating through to her hands and to her skin. She smiled sheepishly and chuckled lightly before looking up at Nate.

"Are you okay?" He asked, as Liz slowly let go of him and took a slow step back.

"Yeah, are you?"

Nate chuckled.

"Of course."

"Are you sure? You're a bit hot," she admitted aloud.

Nate couldn't help but smirk at the double meaning just as Liz caught it. She rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"No, I mean, you're warm, like you're feverish."

Nate shrugged. "I feel fine. Maybe you're just cold."

"I don't think so," Liz said, reaching up to touch his forehead to check for herself.

The moment her palm touched his skin, a crackling sensation filled her ears as garbled and chaotic words spoke into her head. She was certain that she heard Nate's voice, yet when she quickly looked at him, his mouth wasn't moving. Liz winced as bright images of herself flashed in her head. Overwhelmed and slightly afraid, she quickly backed away with a gasp. The sounds and images suddenly stopped.

"What the hell was that?" She asked, taking another hurried step back from Nate. Gone were all thoughts of scaring the guys in the woods. Whatever she had just seen and heard, shocked and surprised her.

"What was what?"

His calm, yet concerned face frustrated her.

"You didn't feel that? Or hear anything?"

Nate smirked, considering that she was joking. "Feel what? Your hand on my forehead?"

Liz shook her head profusely and took a tentative step towards him once again. She looked down her hand.

"When I touched your forehead, I swear that I heard your voice," she said thoughtfully.

"But I didn't say anything."

Nate eyed the woods around them. "Maybe it's one of the guys playing a trick on you."

"That was one hell of a trick. I swear that I just saw...," Liz commented softly, before looking back up at Nate.

"Saw what?"

She shook her head, suddenly embarrassed. There was no way that she was going to tell Nate that she had just seen herself in her own mind brushing her hand from his forehead and into his wavy dark hair before she wrapped her arms around his neck. It was a quick flash of an image, but it was more like a memory that didn't even belong to herself. She closed her eyes, wiling to forget the thought.

Liz had no clue why she'd even have that idea in her mind. She was content with Kyle.

"Nate, you know that I'm with Kyle," Liz said aloud, sensing the need to state the fact.

He rolled his eyes and chuckled. "I think all of La Push knows that. No need to tell me. Doesn't mean the guy is any less of a douche."

Liz narrowed her eyes at him. Nate could be so nice to Kyle's face, yet he couldn't help but allow his disdain of him to be so blatantly obvious to her.

Nate held up his hands in surrender.

"I'm just saying that you could do a whole lot better."

"With who? You?!"

Nate opened his mouth and closed it a few times, struggling to find the right words to say as it was obvious that Liz was more than a little pissed by his opinion of Kyle. There was a part of Nate, deep down that wanted to say 'yes' to her question. Confused and a little startled by that revelation, Nate answered her as truthfully as he could.

"I'm not suggesting anyone, I'm just saying that that guy isn't right for you."

Liz sighed and thought for a moment. Her mind was still on that strong image of herself with Nate and she couldn't help but ignore it. Something odd was happening and Liz intended to find out. Curiously, she took a purposeful step towards Nate, raising her hand to touch his forehead again, just as she had before.

Nate watched her with concern as he backed up, finding that she had backed him up against a tree.

"Wh...what are you doing?"

"I want to try something."

Before he could even question why she was wanting to touch his forehead again, Nate put up his forearm to stop her, bringing her hand to rest on it instead.

As though a shot of electricity flashed through her system, she flinched before sounds flooded her mind once again. Nate's voice echoed loudly in her head to the point that she winced. Nothing she heard made sense. It was a mangled heap of words and sounds and the clarity wasn't there. At the same time, flashes of images raced through her mind; all from Nate's perspective.

"Liz?" Nate asked, seeing the alarmed expression on her face as he lowered his arm, her hand still touching him.

She looked up at him, hearing the concern in his voice before it was quickly replaced by scenes that never happened and words that Nate wasn't speaking. An image of her pushing him hard against the tree that he was currently backed into came into focus. She pinched her eyes shut as she saw herself reach up on her toes and lean in to kiss him. As much as she tried to stop the thought, she coudn't.

Nate looked at her, worried.

"Liz, what's wrong?"

When she didn't answer him, Nate grabbed her wrist with his other hand. As he pulled her hand off his arm, that same odd sensation that he hadn't felt since the night of the flat tire rushed through him. Looking down at Liz, he could hear her voice speaking loudly at him, but he couldn't understand the words. He winced at the loud echo he heard and saw that her lips weren't moving.

Liz was staring up at him in fear and confusion.

Instinctively, he slid his hand down to her palm before wrapping his fingers between her own.

Words, images and thoughts were suddenly clearer. It was still a chaotic mess as images flashed before either of their eyes while their voices jumbled up between them in confusion. Then suddenly, the image of Liz pushing Nate against the tree before her mouth quickly decended on his own became clear between them. A sudden flash and Liz's hands had combed through his hair and down his shoulders before she quickly tugged his shirt up from his waist. A flash of light again and Nate broke the kiss momentarily before moving in once again to pull at Liz's bottom lip with his teeth before his voice growled out from the deep recesses of his mind.

'Mine'.

It all lasted for only a second, but caused both Liz and Nate to gasp, quickly letting go of each other's hand. Liz staggered backward, intending to keep her distance from Nate. The images that she had seen were powerful and she found it hard to admit to herself that she had contributed to the daydream she had just seen in her mind.

Taking a ragged deep breath, as he had recovered from the images, sounds and emotions he had just seen, Nate looked up at Liz.

She seemed to be avoiding his eyes as she shook her head.

"What the hell was that?!" She exclaimed.

"I don't know," Nate said, equally confused. He took a step towards Liz, to which she quickly stepped back.

"Stay away from me," she told him with disgust. "I don't know what kind of joke you're trying to pull, but that was not appropriate in the least."

"What trick!? I didn't do anything!"

Instead of continuing the conversation, Liz scoffed, glared at him and turned before heading back to the road. She marched home, leaving Nate to walk behind her until they came up the Uley's driveway.

"Liz, I'm telling you, I didn't do anything," he told her, once again. "Something happened that I can't explain, but I had nothing to do with it. I assure you."

She paused and turned to him, glaring up at Nate.

"Don't you ever come near me again! Do you hear me!?"

She turned to walk up the driveway and towards the house, Nate following behind.

"Liz, come on," Nate pleaded. "Let's just talk about this. Something strange is going on here that neither of us had anything to do with! You can't blame me for that!"

When they reached the porch, Liz darted up the steps and she turned once more to Nate. When she saw his hand reaching out towards her, she backed away from him like he was the most vile person she had ever seen. Tears were in her eyes.

"Don't you touch me! I don't want to see you again!"

Liz's shouting had gotten the attention of her occupants inside. Just as Talon came to the door, Liz pushed past him and made a bee-line for her bedroom.

As he looked back out the front door, Talon could see Nate beginning to walk back towards the road.

"Hey! Nate!"

Hearing his friend's voice calling his name, Nate reluctantly stopped and sighed, shoving his hands into his pocket. Talon ran up the driveway and stopped in front of him.

"What happened between you and Liz?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Nate replied, before he scoffed. "I wouldn't even know how to explain it."

Talon smirked.

"Is she pissed to find out that you purposely tripped Kyle in the soccer game?"

Nate looked over at Talon, surprised that he even considered it.

"I didn't do that on purpose."

"Oh, come on. I know you. I saw your face," Talon urged. "I had a clear view of the two of you when he was making his breakaway towards me and the goal. The only reason Dad didn't call it as a foul was because you were certain that it was an accident."

"It was," Nate insisted, to which Talon rolled his eyes.

Nate crossed his arms in front of him and glared at Talon.

"Well, I guess it wouldn't have mattered if it was called as a foul, they still won."

"Yeah, a few of our players were pretty weak," Talon commented, with a nod. "We should have had some stronger players play offensive. You guys looked like you were struggling."

Suddenly feeling threatened and insulted, Nate smirked sardonically and nodded.

"You're right. While we're at it, maybe next year we should even look at having someone else play in goal."

Talon eyed him, knowing exactly whom he was referring to. Although it was meant to be teasing, Talon took it as an insult.

"I stopped at least a dozen shots on the net!"

"Yet you still let in ten!" Nate shot back with a shout. "We lost because of you!"

"I wouldn't have had all those shots at me if you were doing your job rather than making eyes on my sister while she was playing all the time!"

Nate's expression turned to surprise, before he quickly glared at Talon.

"Like I said, I know you."

The argument quickly escalated. As the boys shot insults back and forth at each other, and their voices got louder and louder, they nearly stood toe to toe before Sam came running outside and physically placed himself between the two friends. Sam could feel the heat pouring off of the pair as he pushed them apart with his hands. He could see the anger in Talon's eyes and swore he heard Nate growl when he pushed him back.

Emily stood on the porch, watching in concern while Sam shouted at the two boys to cool it. While he had to physically push Nate away to send him home, he grabbed Talon by the shoulder and dragged him towards the rear yard. Sam glanced at Emily, his facial expression softening as she realized what he was going to do.

"Call the Blacks," Sam told her. "Let them know that Nate's on his way home and what's going on. And give Jared a call. I may need some help with this one."

She nodded softly, her heart breaking for her oldest son who fought against Sam's strong arm.

Not only did she have a son who was about to endure a path that Sam had walked, but Emily also had a daughter who was crying in her room, as though her entire world was falling apart.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Thank you for the reviews!_**


	22. Chapter 22

Jo burst through the front door and sprinted through the darkness straight for the shop. The few lights that Jacob had on within the large bay of the shop pierced through the night sky, but even without them, Jo could clearly see it through the thick trees.

They had been home for close to an hour, having picked up Liam and Sarah from Rachel and Paul's house first. The kids had fallen right to sleep the moment they hit their pillows. The excitement of playing with their cousins had drained them. The house was quiet and it was getting late. After calling Billy to send Nate home, Jacob headed out to the shop to get some things done before they opened in the morning. He had assured Jo that he wouldn't be long, but he intended to stay up until Nate returned home.

When the phone suddenly rang inside their home, Jo's initial assumption was that it was Jacob calling her from the shop. He had made mention to her several times since they returned home how much he missed talking to her that day. So, to hear Emily's voice was a surprise. When she quickly told Jo what had just happened at her house, Jo had no idea how hearing those few words would shake her to her core; even though they were all expecting it sometime soon. Jo simpy wasn't ready for that moment to arrive. She needed to let Jacob know. Jo ran up the winding driveway and bypassed the office door, heading straight for the large, open bay door.

She nearly bumped into Jacob who was coming around the same corner. He grabbed onto her shoulders, seeing the concern in her eyes and feeling it strongly through their imprint.

"Jo, are you okay? What's going on?"

"It's Nate," she quickly told him, concern running through her so strongly that Jacob could almost taste it. "Emily just called. Sam broke up a fight between Nate and Talon. Jake, Sam thinks the boys are going to phase."

"Damn it," Jacob cursed, shaking his head. They all knew it was soon, but they were expecting weeks...not days or even sooner than that. He sighed, walking outside the shop beside Jo.

"Is he still at the Uley's?"

"No, Emily said that Nate should be on his way home."

Jacob paused and inhaled.

Nate's scent was all around their property. In some areas it was recent, as of that morning while in other places it was weeks old. Jacob's sense of smell was strong, but being that he was clearly anxious, it was not nearly as powerful as when he was in wolf form.

With a sigh, he pulled his shirt over his head and passed it to Jo before he bent over to pull his work boots off.

"Jake, he can't be that far," Jo told him gently, touching his arm and already feeling the tremors beneath his skin. "Chances are he's nearly home. You need to relax..."

"Jo, I can't relax," he quickly said. "We need to find him quickly. I'm not going to let our son go through this alone."

"He wont, but..." Jo paused and turned her head towards the direction of the house. Jacob's attention was directed towards their home as well as he had caught the sudden breeze blowing towards them.

Nate was close.

Together, they quickly made their way back to the house, finding that Nate wasn't yet there. Looking out into the thick trees surrounding their property, it was Jo who finally saw him emerge from the darkness. His russet skin was pale and the beads of sweat reflected in the moonlight.

"Jake," she gasped, just as he noticed him to.

Within seconds, Jacob was at Nate's side and seeing up close that what Sam had suspected was true. Nate had the fever.

"Dad," he said weakly. "I don't feel too good."

Jacob nodded solemnly, putting his arm around Nate's waist, urging him to walk with him towards the house. He could feel the heat coming off of Nate, his body temperature nearly identical to his own. The muscles trembled beneath his skin, aching for release.

"I know," Jacob told him gently. "You'll feel better soon."

Jacob winced inwardly, knowing full well that it would be days before Nate would phase and even then, he couldn't predict how Nate would feel. He himself, remembered the bitterness for the choices made for him, the disgust at what he had become and the mourning he did for a life he'd never have. There was a strong possibility that 'soon' wouldn't come very quickly for Nate.

As Nate suddenly staggered forward with a moan and bent over to throw up. Jo rushed up to Nate, putting her hand comfortingly on his back as he seemed to expel every content of his stomach. She looked up at Jacob, and met his concerned gaze.

"Wake up Sarah and Liam," he told her softly. "I'm sure Billy wouldn't mind having them over for a night or two until this passes."

Jo nodded silently before looking back at Nate. He had stopped throwing up and had raised his head to look at her, his face wet with sweat.

"I'll be fine, Mom," he assured her as strongly as he could, despite the tremors that wracked his body. Jo forced a smile to her face. Even in the midst of feeling as horribly as he ever had in his life, he still felt the need to not worry her.

"I know," she told him, brushing her hand over his forehead. "And I'll be back as soon as I can."

While Jo quickly woke their two sleeping children and ushered them out to the SUV in their pajamas, she grabbed their blankets and pillows. She answered questions quickly and cryptically while Jacob moved Nate to the couch. Liam caught sight of his brother laying down as he was about to go out the front door.

"Will Nate be okay?"

Jacob looked over at his youngest son. "He'll be fine. I'll come and see you both tomorrow at Grandpa's."

Liam nodded before heading out the door. Jo glanced back at Jacob before quickly closing the door behind her, leaving Nate and Jacob alone in the house.

Jacob sat on the edge of the coffee table beside where Nate laid on the couch, moaning. Instinctively, he took Nate's hand and squeezed it, causing Nate to look up at him before quietly reminding him that he will get over this.

It was few minutes after he heard the SUV engine leaving their house that the phone rang. Giving a brief glance at Nate to see that the tremors had relaxed somewhat as he had fallen asleep, Jacob stood up and grabbed the portable phone.

"Hello?"

" _Hey Jake, it's Paul."_

Not only was it based on the fact that it was nearly midnight but something in his brother-in-law's voice demanded that he pay attention.

" _We've got a problem over here,_ " he said with a sigh. " _It's Ryan. I think he_ 's..."

"He has the fever?" Jacob suddenly asked, causing a brief pause in Paul's thought process.

" _Uh..yeah. How'd you know_?"

"Nate's the same way and according to Sam, Talon as well."

" _Oh shit_ ," Paul mumbled softly.

Jacob could imagine Paul pacing within their home, running his hand through his hair.

" _Seriously man, I don't know what to do here_ ," he said, his voice sounding desperate. " _I was gonna ask you to come over to help me out and if Rach and the kids could spend the night at your place, but since you've got Nate..."_

"Can you get him to my place?"

Paul paused.

" _What about Liam and Sarah?"_

"Jo just left with them. She's bringing them over to Billy's for the night."

" _We'll be over in ten minutes_ ," Paul quickly said before hanging up.

True to his word, he was pulling up in front of Jacob and Jo's place in his navy blue pickup within ten minutes. Jacob was standing on the porch waiting for them. He met Paul as he walked around the front of the car to get Ryan out of the passenger seat. Ryan appeared to be asleep. His head was resting against the window, the glass fogged up from the heat pouring off his skin.

"Thanks so much for this," Paul said.

"Not a problem," Jacob told him. "I'm thinking that this may be a good idea to have the boys together for this, if only to know they aren't the only one feeling this way."

Paul nodded in agreement as he opened the door, quickly grabbing Ryan's shoulder to rouse him enough to prevent him from falling onto the ground.

Jacob watched as Ryan's eyes opened before he slowly registered where they were.

"What the hell?" Ryan exclaimed. "Dad, I just want to sleep in my own bed at home."

"Not tonight pal," Paul told him, holding him upright while Jacob quickly closed the door behind him. Ryan didn't have the energy to argue.

Quickly, Jacob opened the front door and gestured to Paul to put Ryan on the other couch, opposite to Nate. When Ryan heard a painful groan, he caught a glimpse of his cousin sleeping on the other couch.

"Nate's sick too?"

Paul nodded, as Ryan laid down, relieved that he no longer had to be upright. And just like Nate, Ryan soon fell asleep.

Paul and Jacob stood as silent sentries, watching as their son's slept. They noticed each tremor that their bodies experienced and how their brows furrowed as it was obvious that they were experiencing pain. It wasn't long until the sound of the SUV returning caught Jacob's attention. He looked up at the door just as Jo walked in. She was surprised to find the Lahote's pickup truck in front of the house. The moment she noticed the two boys laying on the couches and Paul and Jacob standing over them, she knew why it was there.

Jo smiled weakly as she gently closed the door behind her.

"You told Billy what was going on?" Jacob asked before Jo nodded. She put down the keys on the counter before sighing.

"And I ran into Seth before leaving Billy's place," she told them. Not only was Jacob's attention on her, but Paul's as well. They all knew that Seth and Brady were running patrol that night.

"He wanted me to let you know that Sam's over at Jared's place with Talon. Emily had called the Cameron's house to see if Jared could help him out, but Jonah's come down with a fever as well. He had gotten into an argument with Derek Call on the way home. Kim and Jenna have gone over to her Mom's house."

"Holy shit," Paul mumbled. "That's four now."

"How about Derek? Has Seth heard from Embry?"

Jo shook her head. "Not yet. He was on his way over there to check when he saw our car and stopped to give me the message to pass on to you."

Paul let out a deep breath through his lips.

"What the hell is going on? None of us have ever had the fever at the same time," Paul said, angrily. "Dealing with one new shifter is hard enough, but we're going to have four volatile ones, nearly all at once by the end of the week."

Jacob crossed his arms and looked at the two boys, who appeared more like men as their bodies were slowly adjusting and transforming even as they slept. Although from what he could remember from when he had phased, it had taken nearly a week from the first time he felt horribly before he finally phased. It was obvious to him that the boys were progressing far quicker than he ever had.

Forget a week. These boys had days.

* * *

When Liz woke up the next morning, she felt as though she had been hit with a Mack truck. It had been years since she had cried herself to sleep. Her night had been filled with dreams laced with confusion as both Kyle's face and Nate's swam within her vision. It was a fitful night sleep, one that she wished she wouldn't ever experience again.

Looking into the bathroom mirror while she brushed her hair, she could see the results of her anguish on her face. Her eyes were puffy and her cheeks still red. Even as she stared at herself, she still couldn't fully comprehend the reason behind why she had been so upset.

Last night, she fully believed that she was angry and disappointed with Nate for playing such a mean trick on her, but as she had time that morning to further think about it in her clear, rational mind, the whole thing just didn't make any sense. The thoughts, sounds and emotions she felt when she touched Nate's hand confused her. They simply weren't her thoughts yet there was no possible way that Nate caused them. It was impossible, yet why was she thinking them? Never in her life had she ever imagined herself kissing Nate, yet last night as that image was presented to her, her mind couldn't help but indulge itself a little. Frankly, it frightened her.

Even now, the memory of that thought still replayed in her mind. With a grunt of frustration, Liz turned on the faucet and splashed cold water in her face in a feeble effort to erase it from her consciousness. Sighing, she looked at herself, the water dripping off her chin before she reached for the towel to dry her face. If she was being completely honest, she wasn't actually angry with Nate. She was angry with herself for being so easily swayed to the possibility of cheating on Kyle. That was why she had been so upset. Not only was she upset with herself for saying the words to Nate that she didn't mean, but also for the potential that she had within her to be disloyal to Kyle.

She winced as she recalled the words she had said to Nate, full of disdain and anger. Even the thought of them caused a pain in her chest. Although Liz convinced herself that she didn't have feelings for Nate, she did care for him enough to know that the words she said must have hurt.

Making a quick decision to make things right, she rushed out of the bathroom and headed downstairs. The smell of freshly baked cookies met her the moment she reached the bottom of the stairs. Liz could hear the sound of the television being on, Shawn's voice shouting as he was inevitably playing a video game on it.

"Are you feeling better this morning?" Emily asked, upon seeing Liz walk into the kitchen.

Liz smiled, knowing that her face probably didn't reflect the fact.

"I think you were right," Liz said, recalling Emily's words last night as she sat beside Liz as she cried into her pillow. "I did overreact and I think I need to apologize to Nate."

Emily nodded.

Although she didn't get the full story from Liz as her daughter had sobbed beside her, it had been clear to Emily that whatever had happened between Liz and Nate had greatly affected her. When she saw Liz going towards the door to leave, she moved to follow her.

"Liz, you can't go see him right now," Emily quickly told her, causing Liz to pause at the door.

"Why not?"

Emily swallowed. "He's sick. Talon came down with the same thing last night and it seems that Ryan, Jonah all have it as well."

Liz closed the door, concern on her face.

"Talon's sick?" She asked as she looked around, noticing now that her brother wasn't there.

Emily nodded.

"Your Dad took him over to the Cameron's last night since Jenna and Mrs. Cameron are away. He doesn't want us to catch it."

Liz walked back over to the kitchen table and sat down. "How bad is it? Why hasn't Dad taken him to the hospital if it's that bad?"

Emily shrugged. "It's just a virus. Sorta like chicken pox. It'll pass but to be on the safe side, your Dad thought it best to keep him isolated from the rest of us."

She sat down across from Liz and smiled before putting her hand on her daughter's arm.

"They'll be fine," she told her, with a reassuring smile. "Just give them a few days to rest and then, when it's safe, you can go talk to Nate."

Liz heard her words, but looked at her hand touching her arm, recalling the same gesture that she had done to Nate the night before. Unlike then, nothing usual was happening.

"Liz, honey? Are you okay?"

Liz looked up at her Mom's concerned face and nodded thoughtfully before she shook her head.

"Something...strange happened last night, between Nate and I."

"What do you mean, strange?"

Liz chuckled awkwardly.

"I don't really know how to explain it," she said, looking down at her Mom's hand on her arm.

Cautiously, Liz reached over with her other hand and slowly put her hand onto Emily's arm, anticipating a flood of voices, thoughts and feelings, but instead, she felt nothing. There were no images, no sounds either than the boy playing in the other room and the ticking of the clock on the wall.

Emily looked down in confusion at Liz's hand touching her arm.

"It didn't work," Liz said softly before letting out a curt sigh.

"Lizzie, are you okay?"

Liz looked up at her Mom and sighed, smiling.

"It must have been just my imagination," Liz concluded aloud, with a relieved and satisfied sigh.

Emily smiled uncertainly.

"What happened between you and Nate?"

Liz shrugged, suddenly feeling foolish about the whole thing.

"Nothing," she replied. "It was just one big misunderstanding."

Emily nodded and smiled. "Well, I'm glad. I'd hate for anything to ruin your friendship with him."

"Me too."

Liz headed over to the television and watched Shawn play his game for a half hour while she read some magazines. Upon hearing the backdoor close as Emily went out to hang out some laundry, Liz stood up. Shawn was completely oblivious to his sister's departure and kept on playing.

She grabbed the portable phone from the kitchen, and headed upstairs to her room with it. Had she told her Mom that she intended to call Nate to apologize over the phone instead of showing up at the Black's house, she was certain that Emily would have discouraged her. After all, Shawn had asked to see if he could call their Dad to see when he'd be coming home and their Mom smiled sadly at him, telling him that she wouldn't want the phone to wake up Talon.

Liz shut her bedroom door and began dialing the Black's house. She glanced out through her curtains, seeing Emily on the ground hanging up towels when she clearly heard the voice of Jacob Black answer the phone.

"Hi Mr. Black. This is Liz Uley," she said cheerfully. "I was wondering if Nate was able to talk."

There was a brief pause and she was certain that there were voices conversing in the background.

With a sigh, he spoke.

" _Okay_. _Just for a minute_ ," Jacob told her politely.

"Thank you," she quickly stated before she heard the phone being passed.

The next voice she heard was laced in pain, yet beneath it, she could distinctly recognize as Nate's.

" _Liz_?"

"Nate! Hey, how are you?"

She heard him scoff before he groaned.

 _"I feel like shit_. _My whole body hurts_ ," he replied, bitterly.

"I'm sorry that you're sick. I was wanting to come over but Mom said that it isn't safe right now."

" _If you were coming over to tell me that you never want to see me again, I got that message loud and clear last night,_ " he snapped angrily, with a groan. " _No need for a damned repeat."_

Liz paused. She wasn't used to hearing such hostility from Nate. In the background, she could hear a mumbling of voices before Nate sighed aloud.

"No, it wasn't for that," she spat just as bitterly. "It was to frickin' apologize to you for last night."

It wasn't as heartfelt as Liz wanted. In fact, she spoke each word in anger that matched Nate's own obvious bitterness.

" _Is that all?_ "

"Is that all, what?"

" _Is that all you were calling about,_ " Nate stated, as though he were straining with each word to say it without swearing between them.

Liz sighed angrily.

"Well, I guess so. Bye Nate."

" _Liz, wait_ ," he quickly said, his voice audibly gentler. " _I'm sorry it's just...I feel like I'm coming apart and it's hard keeping my temper in check. I didn't mean to get upset with you just now. I'm so sorry."_

He sighed while Liz paused, listening before she spoke.

"I'll accept your apology just now if you accept mine. I overreacted last night and I shouldn't have said the things I said. Can we just be friends again?"

Nate chuckled.

" _Liz, I don't think you need to worry about that. You're not getting rid of me that easily."_

"Thanks Nate," Liz stated, her own voice soft. "Get well."

" _Bye Liz_ ," he told her before hanging up the phone.

* * *

"Mommy!" Liam shouted when he saw the familiar SUV pull up into Billy's driveway in front of the red-worn house.

The eight year olds exhuberant cries caught Sarah and Billy's attention as they sat next to each other on the back deck, each reading a book. Billy watched as Liam came racing from where he had been playing by the woods while Sarah quickly stood up beside him, placing her book on her chair before following Liam around the house. Jo had met him halfway and crouched down allowing the boy to wrap his arms around her neck.

"You've been behaving for Grandpa?"

Liam nodded.

"When can we come home?" Sarah asked, as she walked up to her.

"Not yet," Jo replied, looking over at Billy who was wondering why Jo was at his home. "How about I stay here for supper with you guys and Grandpa? We can order pizza and watch a movie afterwards."

Both kids were more than excited about that possibility. Jo reminded them that she had to ask Billy about it first and that she also wanted to talk to him about some important things first. Understanding that, Liam and Sarah quickly made their way back to where Liam was playing in the woods while Jo walked over to the deck.

"How many now?"

"Just the four; Nate, Talon, Ryan and Jonah."

"Nothing from Embry's boy?"

Jo shook her head. "Not yet anyway. I would imagine that Embry's relieved about that too. I know he's always wondered about how he'd keep the secret away from Michelle should Derek suddenly come down with the fever. She's an ER nurse; there's no doubt that Michelle would figure out that something isn't adding up with her son."

"From what I've come to know about Michelle Call is that she's very loyal to her family and to her friends around here," Billy said thoughtfully. "I know that it is custom to keep the secret of the pack within those involved and with the imprints. But if it ever came to the point where Embry has no choice but to tell her the truth, I would have no issue with him telling her in a way that he sees fit."

Jo smiled. "I'll be certain to pass that along to him. Knowing him, I'm sure that he'll appreciate it."

Billy sighed, looking out to where Liam and Sarah played.

"I know that Old Quil would have debated me long and hard about that decision, but there's no way I can ignore the shift in the winds," he said softly. "I felt it weeks ago, long before any of this started. A new pack is forming once again and I'll be damned if I allow this generation to endure it the way their fathers had. It wasn't fair to them to have the burden as well as the honour of protecting the tribe without giving them the support they needed. They were just teenage boys, wrapped up in a world that they couldn't fully understand and they only had each other. I should have been more of a father than just an elder to Jacob."

Jo leaned forward and put her hand on Billy's.

"You were a great father to Jacob, believe me," Jo said with a smile. "He may have not always shown it when he was going through the first time he phased, and everything that came with it, but he never stopped loving you and he always respected you."

Billy smiled and looked down at Jo's hand, feeling that incredible heat coming off her skin that was so similar to Jacob. He wrapped his hands around hers and squeezed them in appreciation.

"Does Jacob have an idea of how much longer it'll be before the boys transition?"

"With the amount of anger those boys have within them, Jacob is surprised they haven't yet. But I think they're going to make it happen tonight."

Billy's eyes showed surprise before he nodded in understanding.

"Jacob's going to provoke him."

Jo nodded.

"They're going to get all the boys together at Second Beach tonight after dark," Jo further explained to him. "It sounds like Talon and Jonah are teetering on the edge as well. They all just need a push and Jacob thinks that bunching all that anger and testosterone in one place may do the trick."

"Sam had taken Jacob out into the woods and forced him to phase as well," Billy told her. "It was the hardest thing I ever had to do. He had the fever for nearly a week."

Jo sighed. "I can imagine. This is taking a toll psychologically on all of us, especially seeing how close they are yet nothing is happening."

Billy nodded. "It is hard to watch your child go through that pain." He rested his hand on Jo's. "I know exactly how you all are feeling right now."

"I was hoping that I could stay here tonight with you and the kids," Jo asked.

"You're not going with them tonight?"

Jo shook her head. "Jake and I agreed that it would be best if it were just him. Besides, I know that he's concerned about Liam and Sarah. If me being here helps him to focus completely on Nate, then I'll stay back."

As the afternoon wore on into the evening, Jo passed out a plate of pizza towards Liam before she went to sit down beside Billy. When the phone suddenly rang, Billy and Jo exchanged a look. They were waiting for a phone call, but it was surprising to get it so soon. It was just barely nightfall. Expecting it to be Jacob, Jo stood up to answer it for him.

"Hello?"

Her expression suddenly changed when she realized it wasn't Jacob calling.

"Aunt Sue," Jo said with a sigh, looking to Billy. "Yeah, he's here. What's going on?"

Jo paused as a smile came to her face. Realizing something was happening, Billy rolled over to her, curiously.

"Are you serious? When did it happen?"

Jo listened and the smile never did leave her face.

"Of course, he's right here."

With a light hand on his shoulder, Jo passed the phone to Billy.

"Sue? What's wrong?"

" _Oh, nothing's wrong Billy. I have great news. Charlie woke up!_ "

"He what?"

" _It was really sudden_ ," she said. " _I was just talking to him, like I always do and his hand moved. I thought that I was imagining it but when I heard him say my name..."_ He could hear her voice crack. _"It was the most beautiful sound I've ever heard."_

 _"_ Oh, that's wonderful news, Sue!"

" _The doctors are still examining him to ensure there are no issues, but I saw his eyes,_ " Sue said happily. " _He looked right at me. I just_ _know that he's all right_."

"Has he...has he said anything else? Asked any questions?"

" _No_ ," Sue replied, knowing what Billy was asking. " _But I'll be certain to call you if he does. You're welcome to come and visit him with me tomorrow."_

"I appreciate the offer, Sue, but I may still have my grandchildren over."

Sue paused. " _Oh, I'm so sorry Billy. I've been so preoccupied with Charlie that I completely forgot about what was going on in La Push. I feel so horrible. How are the boys doing?"_

"No change yet," Billy told her. "But that may change tonight."

Sue breathed out a sigh. " _Oh my. It's happening again._ "

"I'm afraid so. But do keep in touch about Charlie."

" _I will, thanks Billy._ "

He hung up the phone and turned to Jo, who looked on before placing her hand his shoulder.

* * *

It didn't take long for them to gather at Second Beach. Concerns for their boys were high and they were eager to end their suffering but at the same time, they knew it would only get worse before it finally got better. Sam and Jared were the first to arrive. Talon was sitting in the sand with his head between his hands while Jonah paced a few feet away, clenching and unclenching his fists while the muscles in his arms trembled. Not long after, Jacob arrived with Nate and then Paul with Ryan. For a moment, Sam wasn't certain if Ryan was exhibiting any symptoms. His behaviour was so different than that of Jonah and Talon. But upon closer inspection, he could see Ryan's brow furrowed, the sweat on his skin and the deep breaths he was making to keep himself from falling apart. He was simply coping with the pain differently.

When Seth and Brady arrived to give the group some backup, Sam sighed.

This wasn't something any of them were eager to do; provoke their sons into getting angry enough that their bodies would have no choice but to give in and phase.

The pack all stood around silently for a few moments, not knowing how to start and not certain they even wanted to. To their surprise, they didn't have to do anything.

Shortly after seeing Nate arrive, Talon snorted, as he pushed himself up to stand. Sweat dripped on his forehead as he glared at him.

"What the hell is dip-shit Black doing here?" Talon asked, causing Nate to scowl right back at him.

"We could say the same about you," Ryan replied hotly in defence of his cousin, before Talon scoffed.

"What the hell are we all doing out here?!" Jonah exclaimed, noticing how besides himself, only Talon, Ryan and Nate had shirts on.

"We're going to help you feel better," Jared replied to him firmly.

"You know what would make me feel better?" Talon suddenly asked aloud, staring daggers at Nate, before pointing at him. "Punching that piece of shit in the face!"

"What is your fucking problem, man!?" Nate shouted at him, as he moved towards him, his hands fisted at his side.

"You are," Talon seethed.

"Then bring it!" Nate said, gesturing to him with his hands, the muscles in his arms twitching. "I dare you!"

Behind them, Jonah chuckled darkly, still balling and fanning his fingers in an attempt to reign in his anger but it was undoubtedly boiling over.

"Nate, you're such a pushover when it comes to fighting," he stated, coming up beside Talon. It was no surprise that he backed him up. Their families had always been closer.

"You're one to talk, Cameron!" Ryan shouted as he paced beside Nate who hadn't moved at all, and simply continued to stare down Talon. "Gonna run home to Mommy when we hurt your feelings?"

An audible growl came from Jonah as he breathed deeply. Slowly to not disturb them, the pack moved around them, keeping the boys in the centre as Talon quickly swung a fist at Nate.

The crack was loud as it hit his face, echoing across the beach. A rumbling came from deep in Nate's chest as he turned his face back towards Talon. Suddenly, he shoved him hard against his chest, causing Talon to go sailing into the air eight feet high before he landed fluidly on his feet and hands in the sand a dozen yards away. Quickly, he stood back up, his chest heaving while he growled.

Nearly simultaneously, the muscles on the boys' backs stretched out their shirts as the sounds of rips and tears pulled at the fabric.

In pain, the boys fell to their knees and cried out. It was obvious that they were fighting the change.

"Just let it happen!" Jacob called out to them, recalling the same words had been said to him by Sam all those years ago. For a moment, he met Sam's eyes from where he stood a distance behind the boys and nodded in agreement.

Hearing his father's voice, Nate opened his eyes and glanced over at Jacob. In that brief moment, Jacob saw Nate's eyes change from confusion and fear to a yellowing that he recognized so well. Quickly, Nate pinched his eyes shut in pain as his body contorted and elongated, his shirt and pants tore as skin was replaced by a light russet-brown fur. In the blink of an eye, Nate was no longer standing on two legs, but on four.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Two chapters in a week!? I've been sick, so I've had some time to myself. ;)_**

 ** _Please review_**


	23. Chapter 23

The confusion, fear and tension was palpable. Jacob watched as the four boys, once ready to beat each other into next week, were now quickly backing away, completely afraid of the creatures around them. It was obvious that they didn't realize that they too, had changed. Jacob could hear them begin to whine as they glanced around; their attention darting from each other to the people standing around them. It was obvious that the realization was setting in and the sensation of hearing each other's thoughts in their heads was getting to be too much.

Afraid that one of them may run off in fear, Jacob wasn't about to have any of the pack member suddenly phase and startle them further. Instead, he walked forward with his hands raised to get the new wolves' attention before he spoke.

"Hey! I know you're all confused and scared," he said, watching carefully as Ryan and then Talon suddenly began to growl back at him for a moment. An internal conversation was obviously quickly being exchanged between the four boys. "But I need you four to listen to me for just a minute and then we'll explain everything."

Jacob sighed in relief as it was apparent that none of them were about to run off. Instead, their ears back while they each began to whimper aloud.

"There's nothing wrong with you," he told them, recalling the words he had wished he had heard when he had first phased. "You have all inherited a gene that caused this to happen. I assure you that you will be human again very soon as long as you keep calm and pay attention to what we have to tell you."

While Jacob caught Nate's eyes before his son looked down at the sand below him, Paul walked up beside Jacob. He watched the four young wolves as they sat down, relatively calm.

"So Chief, now what?"

"I think we should phase," Jared answered for him, as he walked over to them, glancing over at Jonah as he laid on the sand. "Although they don't look it, the boys are probably freaking out on the inside. I know that I was when it was my first time. If they see us as wolves, they may relax."

"That, or we'll have to chase down four teenage boys through Washington state," Sam told him.

Jacob took a deep breath.

"We don't want to upset them anymore than they are right now. The goal right now is to explain what's going on as best as we can and then work with them to phase back. If we find out that one of them is easily angered, we don't want any of our actions to precipitate that. Working with four new wolves is going to be harder than if it was just one."

"And just so that we're clear, no one is to phase unless I allow it," Jacob concluded.

Although not all of them agreed, the pack around him nodded.

Turning back to the new wolves as they sat on the beach, Jacob slowly walked towards them. His approach didn't go unnoticed. Jonah's head raised up off his feet as he watched Jacob turn to each one of them, looking them in their eyes. He paused when he came to Nate.

"You all remember the stories that you've heard over the years," Jacob said, turning on his heel to ensure he had all of their attention. "They aren't just stories. They are the tribe's histories. All of it, is true. The wolves, the cold ones, all of it."

Based on that revelation, it was obvious that Talon didn't take it in stride. His ears folded back as he glared over at Sam. Somehow, Jacob knew exactly what the conversation was going. He quickly glanced over at Sam before turning his attention back to the wolves.

"We couldn't tell you about this, until now. No one should know the truth unless they were involved in it. Billy pushed the envelope with that the other day with the stories at the bonfire. We all knew this was going to happen. You've all grown, gained muscle beyond that of what you should have... We knew it was only days away when the fever set in. The first time is never pleasant and the process is painful."

Jacob heard a snort come from Ryan, affirming his statement.

"But I can tell you that it'll be better the next time," Jacob told them.

That statement seemed to cause concern within the four wolves. Nate and then Talon, followed by Ryan and Jonah all jumped to their feet. While Talon and Jonah growled towards Jacob, Ryan came to Nate's side as they moved closer to Jacob. Based on body language, it was clear that their sudden aggression was against Jacob but as Nate stepped closer to his father, the focus turned to Nate.

As they growled and bared their teeth at him, Nate raised his heckles in defence. It was clear as they stood at full height, that Nate was visibly taller than the other three. Ryan was nearly just as big as he prowled closer to his cousin in visible support. Nate appeared that he wasn't about to back down from Talon and Jonah's aggressive advances. They continued to growl, their lips pulled back over their teeth while they snarled.

"Cut the crap!" Sam called out towards Talon as he walked up beside Jacob. "You are all part of a pack! Start acting like it cause like it or not, you are all in this shit storm together!"

When his outburst went unheeded by any of them, Paul cursed and turned to Jacob.

"Jake, we need to phase and sort this mess out. They're on edge and talking just isn't working anymore."

Jacob nodded, carefully watching the four wolves.

"Okay, but keep an eye out for runners," Jacob called out towards Brady and Seth, as he quickly pulled off his cutoffs. "Sam, you and I will break this up before it turns into a brawl."

Within the blink of an eye, Jacob and the others phased, yet Nate and Talon were so focused on the argument going on between them that they didn't even notice that they were now surrounded by a bunch of wolves.

The moment they phased, Jacob could hear the onslaught of shouting, swearing and accusations being thrown back and forth. The non-verbal spat was escalating to a point where he knew it was going to turn physical.

'That's enough! Nathaneal and Talon, back down!' Jacob thought aloud as the large russet wolf stepped between Talon and Nate. Sam pushed his way in front of Talon, forcing him to step back.

The new voice that permeated their thoughts suddenly became so loud, that the weight it held nearly brought them to their knees. They weren't the only ones who felt it. The Alpha timbre was strong as it was echoed throughout the pack.

Nate and Ryan had no choice but to back up before they sat down on their haunches, their heads bowed by the heaviness.

The previous thoughts that brought on the argument were still being exchanged.

It was clear that it had all begun with Jacob's statement.

-But I can tell you that it gets better the next time.-

No doubt, the wolves were adamant that this wasn't going to be doing again. Their anger was directed towards Jacob until Nate had come to his defence, causing Talon to shift his anger towards Nate.

' _Like Sam said, you are all part of my pack and I will not allow a physical fight to occur for no viable reason between anyone.'_

Nate looked up at the presence standing between himself and Ryan, slightly confused at the familiar voice that had come into his head. To his surprise, he found his Dad's eyes looking back at him on the face of a large, russet coloured wolf. It was then that he looked around and saw other wolves standing around him, somehow he knew who they were as their voices came into his head. It wasn't the chaotic mess that he had experienced just a while earlier. Somehow, order had been brought to the chaos the moment he heard his father's voice in his head.

' _It's the alpha's desire to have order within his pack_ ,' Jacob explained having heard Nate's observation. ' _Without a leader, the order falls apart. That's why the choas disappeared the moment your consciousnesses were officially connected to the pack. We can all hear each other's thoughts and can help answer any questions you may have about what is going on.'_

With that, Jacob officially opened the floodgates as confused and sometimes anxious questions poured out of Nate, Ryan, Talon and Jonah one after another. The pack around them sat calmly, listened and answered with their own opinions and answers as Jacob directed.

Everything was brought forward with the questions. Everything from vampires, to the wolves connection to them and including the history of the Cullen's interactions with the Quileute tribe were retold. The pack explained how the last generation to phase had met the Cullen's in the early decades of the 1900's, made a treaty with them but it has since been revoked as the Cullen's desire was to not cause the future generation to phase caused them to leave.

 _'But you said that they're back_ ,' Ryan thought with a growl as he stood up. ' _They caused this to happen?'_

They could all feel Ryan's anger and it was certainly justified.

' _We have a good suspicion that it was_ ,' Jacob said darkly. ' _But unfortunately, we haven't found any of them in the area.'_

' _And there is also the rogue vampire that had attacked Billy and Charlie and who killed Old Quil_ ,' Talon mentioned, as the pack had explained what had really happened that day at the lake. ' _He had been near La Push. Could he have caused this?_ '

' _It's a possibility as well_ ,' Seth quickly told him. ' _But because Quil killed it, we have no way of knowing.'_

' _Our biggest problem right now is the Cullen's_ ,' Jacob thought aloud. ' _We know they are nearby. We should have known that Bella wouldn't have been able to stay away from Charlie. She must have found out about the accident.'_

Images of a dark haired girl swam through the pack's mind. It was fleeting, but through the shared consciousness, the pack labelled her as Bella, Charlie Swan's daughter. Nate was confused, not knowing that Charlie even had a daughter. Nate recognized her right away as the same girl from the photo that he had found in Billy's shed, but as he watched her face change slightly, her eyes reddened before turning a golden yellow, he growled.

' _Wait a second_ ,' Nate thought aloud, standing up before he paced. ' _That...that girl...it can't be the same one.'_

Jacob quickly turned his attention to Nate as he saw him suddenly become very aggitated. Anger poured off of him and caused the rest of the pack to stand up in concern. Jacob took a few leaps through the sand to come closer to Nate. Visibly angry, Nate backed up.

' _How could I have been so stupid?'_ He thought as he snarled. ' _She's a leech!_ '

' _Nate? What's going on?'_

' _That girl...Bella...that's Charlie Swan's daughter!_ ' He exclaimed as he connected Jacob's memories of Bella to when his Dad first saw her at Charlie Swan's house, to Sam's thoughts of when he had found her abandonned by someone she had loved within the woods, to Seth's memories of her wedding to a Cullen and finally when he first saw her with her eyes a blood-red. That face from the photo had changed as did the eyes, but the smile hadn't changed a bit. Nate thought back to the conversation he had in the truck with Billy, showing them to his Dad.

Jacob nodded. ' _That's the same girl that he was talking about. She chose that life. We couldn't do anything about it.'_

Still, Nate snarled.

' _Dad, I met her!'_

The pack stood up, growls and teeth were instantly bared.

Jacob growled, his snarl nearly voicing his demanding questions.

' _What?! When?!'_

Nate showed him the conversations in the hospital gardens with the alluring blond haired girl. The voice was identical as was that smile.

' _That bitch! She knows what her presence can do to our people,'_ Paul growled. ' _I thought that's why the damned Cullen's left in the first place!'_

He began to pace anxiously alongside Jared while Sam watched them.

' _She was supposed to cut off ties with everyone when she left! You can't trust them!'_ Jared added.

 _'I knew her to be selfish, but this is taking it to a whole new level,_ ' Sam agreed.

' _She must have known that she was talking with Jacob's kid!'_

The pack mind suddenly became filled with an anger that was beyond what they had felt in years. It was certainly justified. After a few moments, Jacob called for them to quiet down as his own anger seethed.

' _Our patrol will have to extend to Port Angeles_ ,' Jacob told them, gruffly. ' _Whenever Sue visits Charlie, I want someone with her at all times. She doesn't go alone into that hospital until we find Bella and ensure that she keeps her distance from Charlie.'_

Paul snorted. 'We should just do to them what we do to all vampires that come by unwelcomed.'

He shot the pack an image of himself ripping a vampire's head off.

' _No_!' Jacob growled sternly before his tone softened. ' _Despite her possible contribution to causing the change in the boys, the symptoms seemed to have started long before her arrival. Still, I'm beyond pissed off that she even approached Nate and I will deal with her myself should the Cullen's have the unfortunate circumstance of running into us.'_

Jacob looked over at his son as he sat silently on the sand.

 _'I don't care who they are_ ,' he thought aloud. ' _No leech deceives us and gets away with it.'_

* * *

The combination of darkness along with the sound of the television had lulled Jo to sleep on Billy's couch. Earlier, she had grabbed an old blanket from the arm and covered herself with it before curling up. Jo had intended to stay awake, hoping to hear from Jacob sometime before too late. Except, the excitement and stress of the past few days quickly gave way to exhaustion. The other two kids had fallen asleep hours earlier and had gone to bed in one of Billy's spare bedrooms; Sarah on the air mattress on the floor while Liam took the bed. Seeing that the minutes were ticking by and Jo should at least get some proper rest along with the kids, Billy turned off the television before turning to his daughter-in-law.

Gently, he shook her shoulder and spoke her name, instantly waking her with a start. He met her sleepy eyes with a smile.

"Honey, go on and get some sleep. You know these things take time," Billy reminded her. "Jacob's old room is all made up for you."

With a deep sigh and a stretch, Jo reluctantly agreed. The couch wasn't the comfiest place to sleep.

As she stood up and made her way down the hall, Billy turned off the remaining lights just as he heard a soft knock on his door. Quickly, Billy looked down the hall to see that Jo had disappeared into the bathroom and had obviously hadn't heard the knock. He snorted, realizing she must be more tired than he thought.

Billy unlocked the door and opened it.

"Jake!" He said softly, his voice revealing his surprise. "I wasn't expecting to see you until tomorrow."

Billy backed up, allowing Jacob into the dimly lit house. He saw that his son was barefoot, and only wore a pair of old cut offs.

"Is everyone in bed?" Jacob asked softly, closing the door behind him as he noted how quiet it was.

"Uh, yeah, the kids are. Jo's just in the bathroom." He paused, looking at Jacob's unreadable face.

"How's...is everything all right? Did they...?"

With a small sigh, Jacob nodded.

Billy let out a breath, knowing what it meant for his grandson's.

"And how are they doing?"

"It's an adjustment, that's for sure," Jacob replied, softly. "Thier minds are like a pinball machine. Sam's going to work with them to gain control of their thoughts for the benefit of the rest of us."

Billy nodded.

"That's good," he said. "Sam has a lot of experience with that."

Just as he finished speaking, Jo walked out of the bathroom. Her attention was instantly at the front door, having detected Jacob's scent the moment she opened the door.

"Jake? Is everything all right?" She asked, quickly walking up to him before wrapping her arms around his neck.

"Relax. Everything is fine," he told her with a smile, quickly kissing her lips.

"Nate...?"

"He phased, along with Talon, Ryan and Jonah," he replied. "Despite it all, they're doing fine."

Jo crossed her arms and shrugged as she winced.

"So, how are they doing with phasing back?"

"That...is going to take a while," Jacob replied with a frustrated sigh. "Those boys all seem to be hot heads. Not to the extent of having Paul's temper, but they all have short fuses right now and they're setting each one off. For tonight, I've split them up to calm them down. If they're still on four legs in the morning, Quil and Seth are going to have them run lapse around the reservation to get out some of their pent-up energy and make them learn to work together as a pack."

Jo smiled and nodded at Jacob's suggestion.

"So, are you staying in for the night?" Billy asked. "I have some great news about Charlie."

"What is it?"

"Jake, he woke up!" Jo replied, happily.

A smile appeared on Jacob's face. "That's wonderful."

"I'm going to go visit him with Sue tomorrow," Billy told him, while Jo moved towards the fridge to pull out some leftover pizza for Jacob. "I'll what he can remember and possibly explain to him a world that he didn't know existed."

The smile on Jacob's face faded. "Make sure she takes Leah with you guys."

Upon seeing Jo turning on the oven to warm up the food, Jacob stepped up to her.

"Jo, I can handle warming up my own supper."

She shrugged. "You've had a rough night."

He took the tray from her.

"Actually, I insist. Besides, Nate was wanting to see you. I told him that I'm come inside to get you."

Jo looked over at the window, expecting to see a pair of eyes looking back at the house, but she saw nothing but darkness.

"Nate's out there?"

"Just past the treeline in the backyard," Jacob said with a nod.

Jo quickly slipped on her shoes before heading out the door.

The crickets sung loudly in the night as Jo's eyes scanned the forest around Billy's property. She listened and took a deep breath, catching Nate's scent exactly where Jacob said he'd be waiting. With a smile, she walked across the grass before she pushed aside the heavy brush lining the edge of the forest. Carefully, she stepped through them before she stood up straight within the dense forest.

It was dark, and although her human eyes weren't as keen as when she was a wolf, she could see a fluttering of movement behind a wide tree trunk.

"You don't need to hide," Jo spoke aloud. "I'd be able to find you with my eyes closed. There's only one person with that particular smell."

And just like that, Nate walked out from the darkness of the trees in front of her. Based on the fact that his ears were low, she knew that he felt ashamed, and perhaps a bit nervous. Jo smiled, and moved to walk towards him.

When Nate suddenly backed up and appeared afraid of coming too close, Jo paused and held out her hand towards him.

"Nate, you wont hurt me," she told him. "I know Dad probably told you that you'll have to be careful around people for the next little while. But I'm also certain he told you about me. Although I don't look it, I'm nearly as strong as your Dad."

That logical explanation seemed to be enough and he slowly moved closer to her until his large nose breathed her in before resting his head against her palm. Jo wrapped her arms around his neck as best as she could in an effort to comfort him. When she heard a low sigh in his chest, Jo smiled.

"You're going to be all right," she told him, before releasing him.

Jo watched as Nate sat on his haunches and attempted to scratch the back of his neck with his back paw. She couldn't help but smile at his lack of coordination as he nearly fell back. When Nate met her eyes, Jo saw him roll them before he sat back down.

"It takes time to get used to," Jo reminded him. "No one can expect any of you to be able to handle this in just a few hours."

Finding a fallen branch, Jo sat down before she really got a good look at Nate. His fur was shaggy with pieces of leaves here and there. It was a good indication that he'd be needing a hair cut once he phased back. But it was the colouring that really caught her eye.

Nate's body was primarily a light russet colour that travelled over his back and onto his head and ears, stopping just above his eyes. The hair around his muzzle was more of a dark gray and it matched the colour on the lower part of his hind legs.

Jo smiled.

"Nate," she breathed. "Your colouring...it's such a perfect mix of both myself and your Dad. It's beautiful."

Nate looked down and huffed a bit in embarrassment before he laid down on the ground.

"Don't worry. I wont tell the guys that last bit."

She paused and looked at Nate laying in front of her.

"I'm guessing your Dad and the pack told you everything," she stated, earning her a huff.

Jo smiled before it faded. "I wish that I could have been there for you too. I'm so sorry that I wasn't there."

On the ground, Nate pushed his body forward and laid his head on Jo's lap.

"I guess it would've been a bit awkward having your Mom phase in front of you," she said with a chuckle, before she sighed, running her hand over his head.

"But, you're going to be all right. Your Dad is the best when it comes to helping you to phase back. He helped me." Jo paused as a memory came to mind. "Actually, now that I think about it, I think it was you that did it."

Nate lifted his head and tipped it in confusion.

"You had been born just minutes before I phased. Even though I knew you were safe with the Cullen's, you were crying and the instinct to go to you was strong. I had to hold you and also knowing that you were hungry ultimately made me phase back."

As she had spoke, Nate suddenly stood up and paced. Jo suddenly realized something.

"Your Dad didn't tell you about what happened the day you were born, did he," she stated rather than questioned.

Seeing Nate huff before he growled at her, Jo knew she was right.

"Hey!" She snapped, before she stood up confidently in front of him. "You will not growl at me, young man! I may not be a wolf right now, but I'm still the one that makes your dinners and regardless, you will show some respect."

Nate lowered his head sheepishly at her words before he sat back down, knowing she was right.

Jo sighed, sitting back down across from him. She knew that getting him aggitated wasn't a good idea in the efforts to help him phase back but at the same time, Jo could see in his eyes that what had gotten him upset was still on his mind.

"So, what part got you all riled up?" She asked aloud, knowing that although Nate couldn't respond with words, she could figure it out. "It was the Cullen's, wasn't it?"

Nate huffed.

"I don't blame you, but as much as they've been a nuisance for the Quileute's over the years, they've also helped us," Jo told him. "Dr. Cullen alone has not only saved your life, but mine and also your Dad's. He was the one who was there when you were born in the middle of the woods with werewolves all around us. He brought you out of that mess and took you to Billy for safety. I don't like the Cullen's at all, considering their presense caused the pack to phase, but I have to say that out of all of them, I can tolerate Dr. Cullen the most."

A smile appeared on Jo's face while Nate's head rose and looked past his Mom towards the dark forest behind her.

"Speaking of nuisances..." Jo began as she turned to see Jacob walking barefoot through the woods, carrying a bag in his hand.

"Ha-ha," he said, lacking humour. "Very funny."

Jo chuckled as she stood up.

"You know I'm just teasing," she reminded him, to which Jacob nodded.

"I know you are."

Jo noticed the bag in his hand.

"What's all this?"

"This is food that Billy insisted that Nate eat," he told her opening it up before laying it out on the ground for Nate. It had appeared as though Billy emptied his fridge of all perishable foods.

Jacob looked at Nate briefly as his son began to carefully eat the food that he had laid out. He turned back to Jo.

"I have to tell you something that we learned tonight," Jacob said, glancing over at Nate.

He explained about the revelation they had discovered that Nate had been seeing Bella but she had disguised herself by tinting her hair blond. Not to his surprise, Jo reacted angrily.

"I need you to do me a favour," Jacob said, taking her hands and silently calming her inner rage. "Nate told me that Bella had called him on his cell phone. According to him, it's somewhere in his room by his bed. I need you to call her."

Jo was surprised.

"Call her?"

Jacob nodded. "We know for certain that she was at the hospital in Port Angeles and had been using Nate to get updates on how Charlie was doing. I need you to warn her to stay away from Charlie and to not contact Nate again or come anywhere near any of the pack's children."

Jo snorted. "I'll do more than warn her."

Jacob smirked at her words. "I wouldn't doubt it."

"And what are you planning on doing?"

"Nate and I are going to be away from home for the next couple of days," he told her.

"You're staying near La Push though."

Jacob nodded.

"Maybe we'll do some runs into the National Park to get him used to running within a pack."

Jacob took a step towards her and brushed her hair from her face.

"I'm not going to have Nate go through this alone," Jacob told her softly.

"I know," she replied. "I just worry. Not only do I have you out there, but now I have my son running around in the woods as well."

She sighed.

"I wish I could come with you guys."

Jacob smiled, resting his forehead against Jo's. "I know. But we'll be back as soon as we can."

He glanced over at Nate who groaned as he was already moving away, becoming disgusted by his parents display's of affection. Jacob smirked and took the opportunity to kiss Jo's lips. She reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, feeling his heart beating strongly against her chest. Finally, he broke the kiss.

"He can do this," Jacob told her in a whisper. "I know he has it in him."

Jo nodded and smiled weakly before Jacob left one more chaste kiss on her lips before backing away from her, pulling his cut offs down to his ankles. As the heat visibly poured off of Jacob's skin, his body quickly shifted before he landed on four paws. Jo smiled and waved as Jacob glanced back before darting through the woods with Nate at his side.

* * *

 ** _A/N - Thank you for the reviews and PM's. I greatly appreciate them. I hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review. ;)_**


	24. Chapter 24

The next morning, while Jo and the kids headed back home, Sue and Leah picked up Billy to go into Port Angeles to pay a visit to Charlie. The ride to the city had been spent in relative silence while the rain pelted against the windshield. As Sue glanced over at Billy beside her, she could tell that the man had a lot on his mind. Not only had his eldest two grandson's phased the night before, but he also had no choice but to disclose the secrets of the tribe to Charlie. It had been a long time coming, and although Billy had wanted to tell Charlie for many years now, he never wanted him to find out this way.

Last night, Charlie had already been asking questions to Sue - about wolves, Old Quil's grandson, and the strange man that suddenly disappeared in a blink of an eye. Although she initially had been able to divert and distract, Charlie could see right through her. He knew that she was blatantly avoiding the subject. It only frustrated Charlie all the more and left him to begin to question his sanity. When she assured him that he wasn't going crazy and that he'd get his answers, she had called back Billy once again, not as excited as she had been when she called to give him the news that Charlie was awake. With a deep sigh, Billy told her to tell Charlie that he'd be by to explain everything in the morning. There was no doubt in her mind that Billy wouldn't be getting much sleep that night. Telling your best friend that the world around him and the one that he married into was not what it seemed wasn't something to look forward to.

It was not surprising that when they arrived that morning, Charlie was already awake. The doctor at the nurse's station pulled Sue, Leah and Billy aside before they approached his door. Her eyes were full of concern. She quickly informed them that Charlie hadn't slept much that night. According to the staff, they assumed that Charlie was afraid of slipping back into a coma, should he fall asleep and she assured Sue that it was completely normal for people recently coming out of that state. But Sue suspected it was something so much more than what the hospital staff thought. Charlie's memories from the day that he was injured and that Old Quil was killed was certainly playing over in his mind.

As she looked through the glass window while Charlie scribbled away at a small notepad, she sighed. The police officer within Charlie was certainly trying to piece together what wasn't making sense in his world.

Gently, she opened the door while Leah and Billy followed behind.

"Charlie?

His eyes looked up from the notepad and he smiled upon hearing the familiar voice.

"Sue," he breathed, taking in her appearance as she approached him.

"The nurse said you didn't sleep much last night," she told him, looking down at the notepad that Charlie quickly folded and tucked beside him. "Maybe I should have stayed with you."

Charlie took her hand and shook his head.

"Naw, I'm fine," he told her. "If anything, it gave me some time to think." He paused and chuckled. "Besides, I think I've gotten enough sleep to last me for the next little while."

He looked past Sue to see Billy sitting in his wheelchair, with Leah standing behind him. A smile came to his face.

"Hey Billy! It's good to see you old man." He paused and looked at the woman who seemed to similar to Sue, pushing Billy forward in his wheel chair. "And you too, Leah."

Leah said nothing, but genuinely smiled. Billy sat beside Charlie's bed and smiled at him. As he looked at him, Charlie appeared to be the same easy-going man that he'd always been, yet when Billy glanced across the bed at Sue, he could see the concern in her face. She was waiting for the second shoe to fall."

"Good to see you, Chief," Billy told him. "You scared the hell out of a lot of us."

Charlie looked over at Sue beside him as she took his head. "Well, it just wasn't my time to check out, that's all there was to it. I've got family and friends who need me here."

He paused, looking down at their hands as he pursed his lips. Charlie looked back at Billy.

"How's everything down at La Push? All the guys there...and the kids? Everyone's doing all right?"

Billy nodded. "It's all...they're all good."

"Good...good," Charlie said thoughtfully. "I heard that I missed Old Quil's funeral."

"Charlie, the family understood..."

"But still, I would've wanted to pay my respects, especially since his grandson..." he paused and sighed, shaking his head before he glanced over at Sue. "Look...I know that Sue probably told you that I was talking about a lot of crazy stuff last night."

"Believe me, Charlie," Billy said softly. "Nothing you say would ever make us think you're crazy."

Charlie chuckled unhumorously.

"Sue said something along those lines last night," he said.

"And she's right," Billy told him, with a small smile.

Charlie looked between them, anticipating them to suddenly tease or change their tune. Except, he didn't see anything in their faces but apprehension and perhaps a little bit of concern.

"You guys are looking at me like you're waiting for me to freak out here." He paused and looked at Billy. "I'm a cop and I know when something strange is going on. I've known you for decades so I can tell when you're bullshitting me. So, I need you to tell me what I saw out there cause in my head, it sounds like some crazy cracker shit and chances are, it's going to sound no different coming out of my mouth."

"Fair enough," Billy said with a nod and a small sigh. "How about we start with young Quil?"

And so, with that, Billy began to explain the history of the tribe and how it connected to the wolf that Charlie had seen. All the while, Sue seemed to steal glances at Charlie's face, seeing by the expression on his face that his 'bull-shit meter' was running high. Every incredulous thing that Billy said, seemed to push that meter even higher on the scale to the point that Sue watched Charlie's mostache twitch with each new piece of information. She could tell that Charlie knew that Billy was telling him the truth, but he had trouble wrapping his mind around what he had been telling him.

Charlie pinched the bridge of his nose as he digested the carefully woven tale that Billy had told him.

"So, let me get this straight," Charlie began, after having heard the story from Billy. "You're telling me that there are men, boys on the reservation that can turn into giant wolves all because there is a threat of vampires nearby? Are you frickin' kidding me?"

His voice had raised as he spoke, and Sue could see by the redness in Charlie's face that his blood pressure had risen as well.

"I'm telling you the truth, Charlie," Billy told him, sternly.

"If this is all true, then why the hell are you telling me now?"

"I'm sorry, but the wolf pack was to remain a secret within the tribe," Billy said. "There are only a few, elders included that know of it's existence. It's to keep the anonymity of the people involved so they can live their lives without the outside world looking in at them."

Charlie sighed, and closed his eyes.

The entire idea seemed preposterous. Yet, he had seen Quil with his own eyes and it wasn't something that he could forget. The fact that Billy wasn't negating that, said something to him.

"Besides Quil, how many are there?"

Billy hesitated. He trusted Charlie but at the same time, it felt odd to be divulging the packs information to someone outside of the pack.

"We've had a handful of boys suddenly phase last night for the first time. There are close to a dozen more that phased within a two year time frame with Quil," Billy said. "That was ten years ago."

"Ten years..." Charlie's eyes widened as a series of unsolved murders around that time suddenly came to mind. "Those hikers...oh my God...it wasn't bears at all who attacked them."

"Charlie," Billy said, putting his hand out towards Charlie who quickly backed away from him.

"No, you stay the hell away from me! Your wolves are not protectors, like you say they are. Dammit, Billy, they're killing people!"

"We haven't killed anyone!" Leah suddenly exclaimed, causing Charlie to look up at her as a silence fell in the room. She cleared her throat, seeing her Mom look at her softly. "We only kill vampires."

Again, Charlie's eyes widened. "You? You're one of them?"

Leah nodded. "I am."

Upon seeing Charlie's expression of fear on his face as he looked at his step-daughter, Sue squeezed his hand.

"Charlie, you know Leah," Sue said gently. "You've known her since she was a little girl and you know that she would never hurt anyone."

Charlie watched Leah the entire time as Sue spoke. "You're not uh...going to turn into a wolf anytime soon, are you?"

A smile came to Leah's face as she shook her head. "I'm not planning on it. It's not a good idea to phase in public, or indoors."

The expression of shock on Charlie's face when she had said that nearly caused her to laugh.

"Leah, could you run down to the cafeteria and get us some coffee? We might be here for a while," Sue said, with a soft smile.

With a nod, Leah headed to the door. The moment she pulled it open, that strong stench of acidic sweetness invaded her senses and she involuntarily growled before she quickly shut the door and turned the deadbolt.

She chuckled inwardly, knowing that a locked door would never do anything to prevent a vampire from coming in, but it felt right to give that sense of security.

"Leah? What's wrong?" Sue asked.

With her fists clenched, Leah turned to the three in the room who seemed to be watching her carefully. Leah couldn't help but see the look of fear on Charlie's face.

"We have a problem," she said softly.

* * *

"Where the hell is it?" Jo grumbled under her breath as she laid on her stomach, rummaging through the dirty clothes and garbage beneath Nate's bed. It was amazing how much stuff he had accumulated there. She swept it all back with her arm towards where Sarah sat on the floor at her feet. Jo could hear her daughter's disgust at what her Mom pulled out from under her older brother's bed.

There were apple cores, empty chip bags, dirty socks, crumpled pieces of paper, magazines, the odd piece of lego belonging to Liam, and numerous pieces of clothing.

With a wince, Sarah picked up a shirt with her thumb and forefinger, holding it out as far away from herself as possible before putting it into the laundry basket beside her.

"Mom, why can't Nate pick up his own mess? I don't want to even think about what Nate has under his bed, let alone see it."

With a resignated sigh, Jo pulled herself up and leaned against the bed to sort through the mess she had pulled out.

"Because Nate is not here and we need to find his cell phone," she said, before glancing over at Liam who was supposed to be busy with his side of the bedroom. He had found a comic book while cleaning and had been reading through it.

"Liam, did you check under your bed?"

The boy looked up and nodded.

"I don't use Nate's cell phone though."

Jo let out an exasperated sigh.

"Well, maybe it somehow ended up on your side of the room. Just, keep looking, all right? We need to find it and make sure it's here."

"Maybe Nate took it with him when he and Dad left," Sarah suggested.

"When are Dad and Nate coming back home anyways?" Liam suddenly asked.

The story that Jo had explained to them was that Nate's sickness was a reaction to something he had been exposed to and until they could figure out what it was, Nate was staying away. She had told them that Jacob had taken him up north for a few days but they had called from a payphone to ask about the whereabouts of Nate's cell phone since he didn't have it on him.

"In a few days," Jo quickly replied back, eager to change the subject. She wasn't happy about lying to her kids about where Nate and Jacob really were. Thankfully, the conversation ended with the ringing of their doorbell. Jo let out a small sigh in relief.

"Liam, go get the door, please."

More than happy to get out of cleaning, Liam quickly stood up and rushed out of the bedroom. Sarah watched as he left the room while Jo reached back under the bed to pull out more things.

"So, is it true?"

Jo paused, slightly concerned with her daughter's line of questioning.

"Is what, true?"

Sarah looked down at the ground, and sighed.

"Amy told me that Ryan was sick too," she replied. "She said that by the way Aunt Rachel was talking, it sounded like the boys had been doing drugs. Is Nate gone for a detox or something?"

Jo chuckled as she sat back up. She paused, recognizing the the scent that drifted into the house from the front door that Liam had answered.

Quil was there.

Glancing down at her watch, she realized that he had recently finished his patrol rotation and quite possibly could have an update for her on how Nate was doing.

"I assure you, the boys are not on drugs," Jo told her, as she stood up.

"Mom, it sure doesn't sound like just an allergy thing if Ryan's got it too. If something is up that you don't want Liam to know about, I can keep a secret."

Jo sighed, seeing the inquisitive look in Sarah's eyes. She was smart and knew that something wasn't adding up.

"It's hard to explain right now," she told her. "But in time, it'll all make sense. But for now, as disgusted as you are in looking under your brother's bed, I need you to keep looking for that cell phone. I'm going to see why Quil is at the door."

Sarah looked towards the bedroom door, confused. She hadn't heard him at all.

"Uncle Quil is here? I didn't even hear him."

Jo smiled, easily covering her slip up before making her way over to the door.

"I'm just guessing it's him," Jo told her. "He said he'd come by this morning. Just...just keep looking for me."

Jo quickly made her way down the hallway to see that Liam had let Quil into the house. To her relief, he had on shoes and a shirt with his shorts. The last thing she needed was more questions from the kids. Quil seemed to notice the stress on Jo's face and suggested that they talk outside. Jo nodded and told Liam to go back and help Sarah in the bedroom before she followed Quil outside onto the porch.

The rain continued to pour down over the roof, showing no signs of letting up anytime soon.

"So, you're still looking for that missing cell phone, huh?"

Jo ran her hand through her unbrushed hair. "I have no idea where the damn thing is. The boys' room is like a bottomless pit!"

Quil chuckled. "Sounds typical. Did you try calling it?"

Jo nodded.

"The battery is either dead or it's on silent. I'm starting to consider that he dropped it that night on his way back from the Uley's."

Quil looked out towards the woods.

"I can do a quick pass of that area and see if I pick anything up. Hopefully the rain hasn't washed away the scent."

Jo shrugged. "Don't worry about it, Quil. I'll track it down. You go and get some rest before you and Embry open the garage later this morning."

Quil sighed and glanced over at the building behind them. "Yeah, about that. Jake, Em and I agreed that it would be best if we were closed for a few days. I was just coming by to put a sign on the door, and to let you know what's going on."

"Closed? You've never been closed before."

By the look on Quil's face, it was obvious that there was something that he hadn't told her yet.

"Jo, Derek came down with the fever yesterday evening. He phased in their front yard, just a few meters away from Michelle. Embry quickly phased between them, blocking Michelle from getting hurt."

Jo gasped in shock. She could just imagine the fear that Embry had in watching his son phase within range of his wife. It also didn't help that Michelle had been kept in the dark all these years about the existence of the wolves.

"Oh my god," she breathed. "Is she all right?"

Quil snorted. "Physically, she's all right. But I think the sight of her son and then her husband shape shifting into huge wolves in their flower garden was a little traumatizing. Last I saw, Embry and Michelle were sitting on their porch while Em explained his entire life story to her. She seemed to be taking it alright. I mean, as far as I know, she hasn't run away yet."

"And Danielle?"

"Thankfully, she slept through the whole thing."

"How's Derek taking all of this?"

Quil smiled. "That kid is loving it. He reminds me a lot of myself when I first phased. It wouldn't surprise me if he's the first to phase back out of the group." He paused, as his smile faded. "Dealing with all these newbie shifters is becoming very mentally taxing on those who are phased with them. We've never had a pack grow this quickly before. It's making us feel aggitated. We're all wondering if something is coming, something that's causing all this to happen."

"Jake should make sure that Sam is keeping an eye on Liz now," Jo suggested, while Quil nodded solemnly.

"Yeah. Embry's concerned about Danielle, considering she's Derek's twin."

Jo glanced back at the closed house door upon hearing Sarah shouting Liam's name. Jo didn't even have to say anything for Quil to know what she was thinking.

Quil shook his head. "I wouldn't worry about Sarah. She's barely thirteen, right? It's still too soon for her."

"Brady and Collin were not much older than she is when they first phased."

"They're both boys."

"This doesn't discriminate. Look at me and Leah."

"You two weren't thirteen."

"It doesn't make any difference when both Jake and I carry the gene," Jo argued, raising her voice at him.

While Quil looked down at the ground, Jo sighed, letting out a growl as she did so while she ran her hands over her head.

"I hate this," Jo admitted. "This not knowing what's going to happen and why it's happening. As strong as I am, I can't protect my own kids from this."

Quil shrugged. "I know a little about how you feel. As strange as it sounds, I've purposely planned on keeping Joy away from the new pack for the next little while."

Jo turned to him, assuming it was because of Joy's physical safety.

"Quil, you know that the others wont let the new guys go near anyone for the next little while. Joy would be safe."

"It's not about keeping her safe from them accidentally hurting her. Being in the minds of all those newbies, I already know that any of them would give their lives in order to protect a pack family member, especially the children." He paused and sighed. "Claire grew up knowing about our world. I would like Joy to have a normal childhood; to do things that I never had a chance to do, see the world outside of La Push and be free to make her own decisions."

It was then that it hit her.

"You don't want any of them to imprint on her."

Quil let out a small laugh. "Silly, isn't it? I'll be the first to say how wonderful imprinting and the life that we have here can be. But if I had the choice, I'd protect my own daughter from being tied to it. I know that I can't prevent fate but I'd like her to have a normal life."

Quil paused and shrugged.

"I don't know if I'm making much sense. It sounds a bit like I resent being a part of the pack."

Jo shook her head. "I know that you don't and I understand completely. I take it that Jake explained imprinting to them."

The smile returned to Quil's face before he snorted.

"He didn't have to," he explained. "Jake just shared his memory of meeting you for the first time and the overwhelming feelings that came with it. It seemed to explain it enough. I gotta say though, that Nate was quite disgusted over the fact that his Dad once had feelings for Bella Swan. Jake was livid when he found out Nate had been unknowingly conversing with her."

Jo growled. "No doubt. I'd like to give that...bloodsucker a piece of my mind. But I need to find that cell phone first."

"I'll find it," Quil insisted before he began to pull his shirt over his head and slipped his shoes off. When the sound of the front door being pulled open caught her attention, Jo turned towards it just as Quil jumped over the railing and ran into the rain and into the covering of the woods. She purposely stood in front of Quil's shoes and shirt before she saw Sarah walk out of the house with the portable phone in her hand. Her eyes looked around, somewhat perplexed.

"I thought you were talking with Uncle Quil," she said, glancing around.

"I was," Jo replied. "He had to take off."

Sarah looked out at the front yard, seeing the rain pouring down.

"In the rain?"

Jo paused and looked at the phone in Sarah's hand before changing the subject.

"Is someone on the phone?"

Sarah nodded and held it out towards Jo.

"It's Aunt Leah," she told her. "She said it's urgent."

Jo took the phone while Sarah turned to go back inside. Once the door was shut, Jo put the phone to her ear and walked along the porch, away from the door.

"Leah?"

" _Jo, is Jake still out with the boys?_ "

"He is," Jo replied. "Why? What's going on?"

" _I'm in Port Angeles visiting Charlie with Mom and Billy,_ " Leah's voice said tensely. " _There are frickin' bloodsuckers somewhere in this hospital. I don't know where they are but I sure as hell can smell the damned things. I need some backup here_."

As she spoke, Jo looked out towards the woods where Quil had disappeared, knowing that if he was in wolf form, he could get the message to Jacob in order to get some help out to Leah.

"Where's Aunt Sue, Billy and Charlie?"

" _Here with me_ ," Leah replied. " _I closed Charlie's door as soon as I smelled it._ "

Jo ran her hand through her hair, her eyes quickly scanning what she could see into the woods.

"Okay, I'll get the message to the pack," she told her. "Stay there and don't leave the room until your back up arrives."

" _I'm not planning on it_ ," Leah growled before she hung up.

With no thought towards the weather, Jo jumped off the porch and ran towards the treeline, her barefeet sloshing in the soggy grass. She didn't stop as she pushed her way through the thick brush before stepping into the woods.

"Quil, I need you over here right now!" She said softly, knowing that Quil's keen ears would be able to hear her serious tone.

Within seconds, a large wolf came bounding towards her. She instantly recognized him for who he was. He didn't even stop before she spoke.

"Leah says that there's a vampire in the hospital in Port Angeles," Jo quickly blurted out, causing Quil to come to an abrupt stop. "She hasn't seen it yet, but she's staying with Sue, Billy and Charlie and needs some back up."

She paused for a moment, watching Quil's face. "Did Jake get that?"

A small nod was all she needed to know the message had been sent before Quil lowered his head. Something suddenly dropped out of his mouth onto the forest floor.

It's was Nate's cell phone.

While Jo bent over to pick it up off the muddy ground, she felt the air around her shift, indicating that Quil had turned back into a man before he quickly spoke.

"Jake wants you to call Bella, see if she knows if any of the Cullens would be in the hospital," he said. "He wanted me to emphasize that he wanted you to be as diplomatic as possible."

"So I guess swearing at them and calling them bloodsucking pricks isn't a good idea, huh," she chuckled.

Jo stood back up and looked at Quil but quickly averted her eyes when she realized he was standing naked in front of her.

"Quil!" She shouted.

"Sorry," he said, with a shrug before he darted for where he had left his shorts. They were soaked from being in the rain, but at least it served for modesty's sake. "You're pack. You've seen me naked once or twice before."

Jo snorted, as she looked down at Nate's cell phone, and wiped the wet mud from the screen with her hand. "Yeah, but I didn't need the replay."

As she searched the contacts, Jo realized that the phone was fine, despite being in the rain. It had been on silent and the battery hadn't died. She sighed when she didn't find any Bella's in his contacts.

"Try looking for Marie," Quil suggested, as he stood beside Jo, looking at the phone in her hand now that he was dressed. He pushed his wet bangs away from his face. "That's what Nate said she called herself."

Jo paused when she found it in his recently called numbers.

"That must be it," Quil told her.

Jo hesitated before her finger touched the number. This was one phone call she wasn't wanting to make.

It rang once, then twice before a melodic voice, as sweet as honey to the unsuspecting, yet to Jo's ears, it may as well have been nails scratching against a black board. An involuntary shudder ran down her spine as Bella's voice said her son's name. Quil was undoubtedly hearing the vampire's voice and gagged slightly before turning to take a deep breath.

"No, Bella. It's Jo. We need to talk."

There was a sigh before Bella spoke.

" _Look, Jo, I know that I shouldn't have been talking to Nate..."_

"No, you sure as hell shouldn't have been. Your damned presence has caused not only Nate but four other boys to phase within the past 24 hours!"

Less than a minute into the phone call and Jo was already shouting.

" _I'm sorry about that, I really am,_ " Bella implored. " _But I needed to know how Charlie was. You understand that, right?"_

Jo pinched her eyes shut, forcing her anger down in an attempt to have a reasonable conversation with the vampire that not only had once broke Jacob's heart but also triggered Nate's gene to compel him to phase. All the while, Jo couldn't believe that it was simply to satisfy her own desires.

"Bella, Charlie isn't your concern anymore."

" _He's my father."_

"No! He is not your father!" Jo shouted into the phone, once again forgoing Jacob's request at diplomacy. "You gave up that connection to him when you chose to become a Cullen! Charlie has a wife and family here that loves him. Bella, he's moved on. You need to leave him alone to live his life without you."

There was a pause and Jo was certain that she heard a growl.

" _I will not. You think you know what's good for him? You don't! You took Jacob from me. You will not take Charlie as well_ ," Bella stated, her voice seethingly low.

Beside her, Jo saw as Quil began pacing, his fists flexing and unclenching as he glanced over at her while he overheard the conversation. She watched as he disappeared behind the trees, obviously feeling compelled to phase back once again. A second later, she watched as the wolf walked back out towards her, shaking the water out from his fur before growling deep in his throat, as he continued to listen.

"You do know that there is no treaty at the moment," Jo said, irately. "And if you're anywhere near the hospital in Port Angeles right now, I suggest that you leave because there is a pack of wolves headed your way right now and they will not hesitate to rip your pasty-white body apart."

There was a sudden shuffle and murmur of voices that Jo couldn't understand before she heard another voice on the phone.

" _Josephine Black?_ "

The velvet voice was smooth as it spoke her name, but inside she felt sick to her stomach.

"Edward Cullen."

With a sigh, Edward apologized for Bella's interactions with Nate.

" _I assure you, it wont happen again_ ," Edward said.

"Oh, you are sure as hell right it wont happen again," Jo agreed. "I want your wife to stay the hell away from my family."

" _She will. But at the moment, you_ _may_ _have to put those feelings aside. You may have a larger problem that we need to discuss."_

Jo paused. The human part of her was concerned and curious, but the wolf inside demanded that she threaten them to leave their area. She sighed, forcing that wolf to remain quiet.

"What is it?"

" _I believe it would be best if we could meet so that we can explain it to you in person and I'd appreciate it if it was with your human side,_ " Edward told her. " _It can be rather complicated to simpleminded creatures."_

Jo growled in her throat at his eloquent insult towards the wolf pack. She was certain that she heard a chuckle over the phone before she sighed.

"As I told Bella, there is no active treaty between us. So, don't even try to deceive us again with your lies," she told him, stoically. "There is a pack of wolves headed your way with delightful intentions of ripping you all apart and setting your bodies ablaze."

Edward sighed. Jo could hear a softer conversation going on but again, she couldn't make out what was being said.

" _I realize that Bella's actions may have destroyed any trust that you had in us that we had gained over the years, but I'm telling you the truth when I say that there is something important that you must know. For the sake of the future of your tribe, we need to meet with the pack. It's about the Volturi."_

Jo paused, the fear and memories that a simple name could invoke caused her heart to start racing.

"The Volturi, are they here?"

There was a slight break.

" _We can't be sure yet_."

"There's a vampire inside the hospital," Jo stated.

" _Yes, that's just Alice,_ " Edward quickly explained. " _She was concerned for Charlie when his future suddenly disappeared this morning. She was going to check on him herself."_

"His future is not any of her concern, anymore than it is Bella's. He has been under the pack's protection for over a decade and that's not going to change."

" _And Bella appreciates the protection that you've given to him, even if it is sloppy to the effect that you nearly allowed him to be killed by a nomad passing through your land."_

Jo growled. "Get your freaky fortune teller to turn around and leave the hospital now."

" _Not until you call the pack off and agree to meet with us_ ," Edward countered.

"I don't speak for the pack."

" _But you do have the Alpha's ear._ "

Jo paused when she felt a wet nose nudge her in the shoulder. Quil stood at a attention beside her, having overheard the entire conversation and relayed the information through the entire phased pack. Somehow, she knew that the sudden gesture against her shoulder was Jacob's assurance that he supported the decision she'd suddenly be making on behalf of the pack.

"Fine," she finally stated. "Meet in an hour in the woods behind where my son's car spun out late last week. I'm sure you know the place."

Edward sighed. " _I do_."

The phone suddenly hung up on her as Jo let out a breath of air between her lips

"No shit you do," she swore at the closed connection, as her hand trembled while she held onto the cell phone.

Jo looked up at Quil who nodded, having relayed the information to Jacob for her. Quil seemed to pause, watching her. While the rain pelted down on her, Jo's hands continued to shake. She looked down and let out a deep sigh, forcing herself to relax.

"I'll be fine," she said aloud to Quil and to the pack who was undoubtedly seeing through his eyes. "It's probably good that I'm not going with you guys. I doubt I'd be able to look at Bella Swan right now without being tempted to rip her apart."

Quil let out a light growl before he darted into the trees, leaving Jo alone in the woods.

* * *

The pack was a few minutes early but it suited them fine. It gave them time to quickly do a run of the area. It didn't matter how many times the Cullen's assured them that they were trustworthy, they weren't going to take any chances, especially given he fact that Bella had knowingly spoken with Nate when she shouldn't have.

' _Where the hell are they_?' Talon asked, as he paced side to side.

He wasn't the only one with the same thought. While most of the pack were eager to get it over with, it seemed that the newbies were excited about the whole thing. They had heard the stories, but never encountered the natural enemy that they had been told the wolf felt compelled to destroy.

' _Don't worry,_ ' Sam answered over his shoulder towards his son. ' _I'm sure they'll_ _be here_.'

' _Yeah, once you smell them, you'll wish you could forget that stench,_ ' Paul added, from beside him.

Although they knew it was important to expose the newest pack members to vampires, Jacob knew that the pack couldn't help but feel a little apprehensive about it all. He glanced over at Nate behind him, watching as his son paced anxiously between Talon and Derek. Ryan and Jonah's ears twitched, anticipating the vampire's arrival while their noses seemed to scan the wind passing by them. The five boys seemed both excited and nervous about it all. It was simply another new reality that they were about to be experiencing.

While the rain continued to pour down on them, they waited. Jacob phased back and pulled on his soaked shorts, leaving the others around him to remain as wolves. The pack was more powerful as wolves and there was no way Jacob would leave them vulnerable to any attack. Sam and Paul stood on one side of him while Embry and Jared were on the other side. The new wolves flanked behind them, waiting and watching.

" _I've got something_ ," Sam thought, his eyes looking towards the east. Jared concurred as they caught sight of the Cullen's quickly approaching.

While they had anticipated it being just Edward, Bella and Alice, the pack was thrown off when they saw three more vampires with them. The nicknames for each of them were quickly being exchanged within the pack; the Southerner, Doctor Fang and Mrs. Fang.

Edward walked up beside Carlisle, as he seemed to have noticed the increased anger.

"They were only expecting myself, Alice and Bella," Edward explained softly, glancing over at the pack who merely growled back at him.

"That explains the hostility."

Jacob crossed his arms as he glared over to where Carlisle and Edward stood. He had yet to give any his attention to Bella and he wasn't about to. After all, this wasn't a reunion and he hadn't come to talk with her. The only reason they were meeting the Cullen's was because they had some information that was of importance to the pack and tribe.

Carlisle walked up to him, with Edward and Jasper at either side. While the doctor smiled at Jacob and took note of the ganglier group of young wolves standing behind the protective line of more experienced wolves, the pack growled back.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with us," Carlisle began. "Please accept my sincerest condolences. We understand that a vampire killed a member of your tribe and injured another, along with Charlie Swan. We can understand your apprehension in speaking with us."

While Jacob stood as a silent sentry, his face guarded and fierce, Jasper suddenly sensed a wave of sadness rush through the pack. At the same time, Edward caught a loud image of the vampire, as seen through Quil's memories that had been shared with the pack as he attacked it just as it was about to kill Charlie Swan.

"I've seen the vampire that attacked them before," Edward suddenly said, just as the wolves growled. "His name's Owen. He was a member of the Volturi guard. He was extremely skilled and dangerous. With just a word, he could cause you to forget a memory and he'd use it to his gain. Seems that he used his ability on Billy Black, but now that Charlie has woken up, the pack is hoping that he could answer some questions."

"Stay the hell out of our heads," Jacob seethed, glaring at Edward as he took a step towards him. Edward sensed the hostility and was about to move closer when Carlisle put his hand on his adoptive son's chest, urging him silently to not provoke the pack. "The only reason that you are all still standing is because you told my wife that you have information about the Volturi that may be of importance to us. Is that Owen guy have something to do with it?"

Carlisle looked at the pack standing in front of him. A few of them bared their teeth at him while a collective deep growl seemed to emanate from with the group of powerful creatures. He turned his attention back to Jacob.

"It may appear so, except we weren't aware that he had been sent here," he told him. "For the past sixteen years, my family and I have been deligent in our oath in protecting your pack, your families and tribe from the Volturi, and unfortunately, this time we had failed. While we thought that the Volturi had no further interest in your tribe, we were obviously wrong and for that, I apologize. But it seems that Bella and Alice's presence here has caught the attention of an enemy faction of the Volturi. They're called the Romanians and are determined to become the ruling coven over the vampiric world. Edward spotted a pair of scouts in Seattle when he came here looking for Bella."

"We had no idea that they would follow us here," Bella suddenly said, causing Jacob to slowly turn his attention to her. "I just wanted to know how Charlie was."

"So, not only were you speaking with my son, deceived him in who you really were but you've also brought the attention of another group of leeches that could be a threat to our land," Jacob stated harshly.

"Jake, I'm sorry."

"Don't!" He quickly snapped. "Your words mean nothing to me."

With a deep breath, Jacob turned his attention back to Carlisle.

"If you left, would they follow?"

"It's possible. But it's also possible that they have already seen Bella and your son interacting. It may explain why you have suddenly had a number of new wolves in your pack," he said, gesturing to the group of five wolves pacing anxiously. In front of them, Sam, Paul, Jared and Embry growled protectively.

Jacob nodded, thinking how it would make sense.

"We haven't encountered any other leeches either than that Owen guy," Jacob told them.

"The Romanians are cunning. They'll stick to higher ground, sometimes in the trees," Jasper said. "They have over a thousand years of experience behind them. But their main interest right now is the Volturi. They wouldn't bat an eye at you, except for the fact that they know that the Volturi have been increasing their army and are suddenly in this part of the world."

Carlisle nodded while Edward continued.

"It's possible that the Romanians may be assuming the Aro and the Volturi are trying to enlist your kind into their army. And at the same time, Aro may be wanting to strengthen his numbers with your pack. It's not too far fetched either. I recall Aro's thoughts when he first saw Nathaneal shortly after he was born. He had envisioned raising him as his own and then having a wolf at his side as his protector."

While Nate suddenly growled from behind him, Jacob snarled.

"I would destroy that bastard with my bare hands before I'd even let him touch my son."

Carlisle nodded, still remembering the small baby that he had protectively held in his arms and guarded from Aro.

"I wholeheartedly agree. With your permission, I would like to ask for the treaty to be temporarily invoked with the exception that the pack would not be required to remain on the reservation."

A sudden upheaval of snarling came from around Jacob while Carlisle spoke. Although the wolves didn't move, it was obvious by the small glance that Jacob made towards Edward that the strong thoughts and words being tossed his way were not pleasant.

Jacob clenched his jaw, forcing the anger that he felt as Carlisle gave his request. He crossed his arms.

"What is your intent with asking for that?"

"On behalf of my family, I'd wish to offer our assistance in protecting your tribe against any assault from either the Volturi or the Romanians," Carlisle said. "Although we didn't initially lead the Volturi here, we certainly got the attention of the Romanians when members of my family came here."

As much as Jacob wanted to tell them to leave, he knew that with the certain abilities that they had, the Cullen's could help them out. And out of all of them, surprisingly, Jacob felt that he could trust Carlisle Cullen.

"Fine," he finally said as Carlisle smiled, putting out his hand. With a sigh, Jacob shook his hand, and felt the extreme cold as he grasped it.

"You have my word."

* * *

 ** _A/N - Sorry for the delay. You can all blame the beautiful weather! But if I get to be slacking off in my updating, feel free to bug me to get going. ;). Please review!_**


	25. Chapter 25

Billy watched carefully while Leah stood just outside Charlie's hospital room door. She hadn't moved from that place after she had told them that she sensed a vampire in the building. Her eyes watched the hallway carefully while her fists were clenched, ready at any moment. Although it wasn't an ideal situation, Billy trusted Leah to protect them. He had faith in the pack that Jacob led.

Sue made an effort to distract Charlie, by speaking about Seth and Amanda's daughter, Hannah and the success of the bazaar that he had missed. Yet, Billy could see Charlie's eyes shift towards the door, watching Leah as she stood just beyond the glass. They had heard her phone ring a few times. As time went on, he could see her visibly relax. The anger and tension in her face was gone as she continued to speak on the cell phone. Every so often she'd glance through the window towards them, undoubtedly hearing the conversation that was going on in the room.

"So, how much do you trust these wolves to protect us from...vampires?" Charlie asked, suddenly changing the subject, and still finding it odd to acknowledge that everything he knew to come from myths are real.

Billy smiled softly.

"I trust them with my life," he replied. "I would think that after seeing what Quil had done to that vampire that was about to kill you, that you may start to trust them as well."

He paused.

"I need to ask you about that day."

Charlie snorted, his eyes looking down at his clasped hands. It was a gesture that Billy had come to recognize. He had done it a few times since he had visited with Charlie. Whenever the conversation shifted to events of that day at the lake, Charlie would change the subject or deflect the conversation.

"Come on, Billy. I'm still working my mind around the whole 'inner wolf' thing."

Billy let it go.

"Everything does sound far fetched," he confirmed. "Once you realize that the wolves are still people, it makes it easier to grasp."

"Spirit Warriors, right? Who were designed to kill vampires..." Charlie paused and shook his head. "This is just ridiculous. I mean, in books and movies, it was always silver bullets and wooden stakes."

"That's all fiction," Billy told him.

Charlie chuckled.

"Billy, vampires and people who are able to transform into wolves should be considered fiction."

"And yet they're real."

With a sigh, Charlie looked out at Leah as she spoke on the phone.

"Leah said she's one of those wolves, like Quil."

"That's right," Billy stated.

"So, besides those two, who else is there?"

Billy paused and glanced to Sue before turning his attention back to Charlie.

"Charlie, I don't know if it's a good idea for you to know, at least not yet with everything you've been through. I mean, it might be easier for you right now if you weren't aware of who they are. I wouldn't want it to change your view of the people they really are. They have lives..families...children..."

Charlie's nostrils flared, a sure sign that he was frustrated.

"Billy, I'm the frickin' chief of police in Forks and I didn't even have a clue that this was going on right under my nose. I was ready to blame these kids for those unsolved animal attacks a decade or so ago. Seriously man, I think I deserved to know that not only are there god-damned vampires but you have people running around the Rez woods as frickin' wolves. It's not like I'm going to call CNN or anything like that. Cause, I for one, know how crazy this shit sounds. No one would believe something like this in the first place."

Billy sighed. "Like I said, Charlie, they have families and it's up to them."

"So, what you're saying now is that you don't trust me. Is that it?!"

"It's not that. Hell, Charlie, this is bigger than just us here," Billy said, gesturing between themselves. "It's not my place to give out names. It's up to them. And there are things that you may not be ready to hear or know about."

At that moment, Leah stepped back in, instantly bringing a break to the conversation. As Charlie appeared to be more and more upset, Billy was thankful for the reprieve.

Leah cleared her throat and looked to Billy.

"Could I speak to you outside in the hall?"

As Billy turned back to Charlie, preparing to apologize, the Chief of police rolled his eyes and sighed aloud.

"Yeah, let me guess. This is one of those things."

Leah smiled weakly and nodded.

While Billy excused himself and wheeled his chair towards the door, Leah looked back at her mom who smiled weakly back at her daughter. The moment the door closed behind them, Leah glanced through the door at Charlie before turning to Billy.

"He's not taking it well, is he."

Billy shrugged. "He's taking it as I thought he would. He's confused, hurt and pissed - three things that aren't a good combination for Charlie Swan. What's going on?"

Leah glanced down the bright hallway before looking back down at Billy.

"The vampire that I sensed in the hospital was one of the Cullens," Leah stated, while Billy's eyebrows raised pensively.

"I guess we shouldn't have been surprised, considering Bella's been in the area."

"It wasn't Bella. It was one of the others, coming to check on Charlie cause his 'future supposedly disappeared'," Leah said with an eye roll and air quotes. "Jake and the pack met with some of the Cullen's and told them to back away from here. The thing is gone. But since he's talked with them, he learned that we may have a bigger problem."

While Leah explained what Jacob told her to relay to his Dad what they had learned from the Cullen's about the Volturi, the Romanians and about the vampire known as Owen, Billy glanced back through the glass towards Charlie. While Charlie and Sue were not speaking at the moment, it was obvious to him that the police chief was incredibly upset at not only Billy, but at Sue as well. Billy knew the importance of trust within a marriage and it was all the more evident as he watched the couple through the glass.

Leah continued to talk as he watched Sue and Charlie.

"Jake's going to start heavier patrols around Forks and La Push. As soon as the newbies can phase back, he's going to put them into the rotation and have them train with experienced wolves; give them sort of a crash course in fighting leeches."

"You can let Jake know that Ryan and Nate are welcome to stay with me until it's safe for them to go home."

Leah paused with a sigh.

"If it's safe enough for you."

"I handled Jake alright."

"Unfortunately, tempers are still quite high since the Cullen's are sticking around to help us out with protecting Forks," she said disgruntledly.

Billy's eyes shot up at Leah in surprise. "What?"

"Jake's reinstated the treaty in exchange for their help."

"It's that bad?"

"We may be having a war come to this area," she said softly. "We may need all the help we can get."

Billy turned to look back through the window towards where Charlie reclined in the bed. Sue sat beside him, holding his hand as she spoke softly to him.

"And Jake thought that it might help if you can get more information from Charlie about that vampire that erased your memory," Leah added softly. "The vampire was linked to the Volturi and specifically targetted you three. He came after you for a reason."

Billy thought for a moment before he sighed, and shook his head. He knew that would be easier said than done. So far, whenever he or Sue would ask him questions about that day, Charlie would change the subject. It was getting obvious that it wasn't something he wanted to talk about, or possibly remember.

"Damn it," he cursed. "I can't do that to him right now. He's not saying it, but I know he's not wanting to talk about it."

Leah sighed, looking at Charlie through the window. "I'm not surprised. He went through a lot. Hell, he almost died."

"I know," Billy said softly. "That's why I'm going to give him some time."

Leah paused. "Billy, it's important that we find out why that vampire came after you guys."

"I know and we will," Billy told her, taking her hand. "But you said it yourself; he went through a lot. Charlie was traumatized over what he experienced. And we've dumped a load of information on him that frankly, is hard to believe. I'm going to give him some time to adjust to it. And meanwhile, I'm going to keep doing what I should have done years ago; tell Charlie the truth about the tribe's secrets."

"Can I suggest something?"

Billy looked up at her, slightly surprised by her soft-spokenness. He'd always known her as the tough woman with an angry chip on her shoulder within the pack of wolves. He watched as Leah looked back into that hospital room where her Mom and her step-father sat. Charlie had seen her grow up and although he wasn't a blood relative, she was fond of him. He had supported her Mom after Harry's death and although he kept his distance from her while she mourned, he still cared for her and for that, Leah would always respect him.

"Of course."

"We all saw how bad it got for Charlie in the years after Bella disappeared off the face of the earth," Leah said.

Billy got flashbacks of Charlie's excitement upon getting a lead in Bella's possible whereabouts always quickly led to dispair and hopelessness. He had seen it countless times. Sue endured it, felt the pain of keeping Bella's true fate from Charlie.

"For his benefit, when you're talking about vampires to Charlie, could you make sure not to mention Bella or the Cullen's?" she requested. "I know the hell that he went through. Not only did he go through a lot, but I know that it took a toll on Mom, watching him slowly loose that hope over the years. I'd hate for him to find out that she's...existing after all these years only to him discover her fate and ultimately go through her leaving him again."

Billy agreed with a nod. He wouldn't allow his friend to endure that pain once again.

* * *

'I still don't know why you allowed...her to stay,' Nate exclaimed in his mind, as he growled. 'Bella did this to us.'

'Nate! Cut this crap! We're not going to get into this argument again. The decision was final,' Jacob thought, frustrated to find that Nate was the only one who seemed to be able to challenge the Alpha's decisions. It was one of the many interesting dynamics between them that he had discovered over the past few days. At first it was strange to find that of all the wolves, Nate was the only one that the Alpha would be somewhat passive in his challenging of his authority. Whether it was because it was his son, or perhaps he was in line of succession for becoming Alpha, Jacob wasn't certain. But either way, it was starting to drive him crazy.

'Right now, you're to focus on changing back. It's been almost four days. You need to relax.'

Days after having left the Cullen's and allowing them to return back to their home outside of Forks, the pack's main objective was to get their newest members to phase back. Knowing that there could be threats to soon come against their tribe, they needed to be ready. They couldn't be worrying about things like this later on.

As each day passed, Jacob and the others became just as frustrated as the boys they were trying to help. At one point, Jacob split up the pack into smaller groups in hopes that they could work on getting the boys to change back. Even days after their meeting with the Cullen's had ended, emotions were still running high and the boys were feeding off of each other's anger.

That wasn't the only frustration that had travelled through the pack mind. Billy's decision to not push Charlie in finding out details of what had happened the day that Old Quil died caused anger to flair. Jacob reluctantly agreed with Billy, especially after seeing through Leah's eyes, the fear in Charlie's face when he looked at her. Although no one voiced it, considering he was Jacob's father, he knew there was discontent with the decision. Since Charlie had come home from the hospital the day before, Jacob anticipated Billy now asking him about it sooner than later. For the time being, he was going to wait.

Nate scoffed before looking over at Ryan as he sat on the ground. He watched as his Uncle Paul paced around Ryan in human form, drilling him to relax and demanded that he ignore what was going on around him.

Jacob nudged Nate in the side.

'You might want to take some pointers from your Uncle Paul,' Jacob told him. 'Out of all of us, he had the most anger issues and learned to control it. Besides, you don't want your cousin to phase back before you, do you?'

Nate looked up at Jacob beside him. He knew his son well and that competitive streak ran deep within him. As predicted, Nate sat down and forced himself to relax. After a few minutes, he sighed.

'It's not working,' Nate complained.

'Give it time,' Jacob reminded him.

When Jacob felt the air shift around him, he looked over his shoulder to see his nephew, Ryan had succeeded first and was sitting on the ground, naked before Paul pulled him to his feet. Quickly, Jacob encouraged Nate to close his eyes, not only to relax, but to prevent him from becoming even more frustrated to see that his cousin had phased back before him.

'Take a deep breath and think of something relaxing,' Jacob suggested.

'Relaxing,' he miffed. 'I've tried that before. Many times.'

'Then try again.'

Although Nate rolled his eyes at Jacob's assertive and demanding tone, he obeyed.

In Jacob's own mind's eye, he caught a quick glimpse of his son's thoughts. He saw a starry night before it suddenly switched to a memory of Nate laying on the ground and a smile that he was certain he recongized to one belonging to Liz Uley. As if on command, the same strange feeling moved around him. With his own eyes, he watched as the wolf sitting in front of him slowly changed shape. Skin erupted over fur as a man appeared where a wolf once sat.

Nate let out a breath that he had been holding before his eyes opened. Almost in awe, he looked at his hands, turning them in front of him. Mud was caked under his nails and his hands were visibly dirty.

"Welcome back to the land of two legs," Paul said, tossing a pair of cutoffs towards his nephew. Nate looked up to see Ryan standing beside Paul, smiling down at him. Behind them, Jacob slowly phased back as well before pulling on his own shorts that had been strapped to his ankle. "What made you suddenly change back?"

Nate pushed himself up to stand and shrugged, embarrassingly avoiding Jacob's glance. "Just a memory."

Once he was on two legs, he stumbled forward slightly before Paul grabbed him by the elbow.

"Easy there. It's a bit disorienting after you've been a wolf for five days straight."

Paul grinned at Nate, seeing that his nephew's shoulder length wavy hair had become matted and unkept on his head.

"You're going to want to cut that down," Paul added, with a chuckle, padding his hand on Nate's head. "You'll be glad you did. Just ask your Dad about his run in with a bush of burs when he had first phased."

Nate ran his hand through a tangle of curls, pulling a crumpled leaf from his head as his Dad walked up to him.

"I remember Billy had to take clippers to my head. I was so upset about it." He paused, seeing the matted heap of hair on Nate's head. "But I can probably help you sort that mess out. We wont have to go as short as Billy did to me."

Jacob paused, watching Nate and Ryan carefully. As he had spoke, it seemed that both boys were looking at their arms, chest and legs, as though they were seeing themselves once again for the first time.

Paul met Jacob's eyes and smiled weakly.

"It's a bit strange, we know," Paul said.

"How do you guys feel?" Jacob asked.

"I feel great," Nate said, his voice sounding a little surprised while he took a deep breath, inhaling the early dusk air around them.

Ryan nodded in agreement before putting his hand to his stomach.

"But why am I hungry again?" he asked them, glancing over at Nate. "We just ate, like an hour ago."

Paul chuckled and nodded.

"It's a wolf thing. Your appetite just increased ten-fold."

"You two are staying with Grandpa Billy for a few days and he said he'd fire up the barbecue once he gets word that you guys are ready to eat like human beings again," Jacob told them.

Paul snickered as he pulled out his cell phone from his pant pocket.. "Hope he doesn't mind doing it at nine at night."

Nearly an hour later, having made their way back on foot, they were emerging out of the woods behind Billy Black's home. The smell of the barbecue caused Ryan to stop and let out a sigh of contentment. Nate pushed him forward to keep moving as the smell of the food was making him impatient.

"Is that butter I smell?"

"Not just butter, but buttered corn," Jacob chuckled, slapping Nate on the back. "Not only has your appetite but every sense is more sensitive."

As the four walked over the damp grass towards the back deck, the smells of medium rare steaks, potatoes, desserts and breads hit them. It wasn't the only thing the boys noticed. On the deck, Quil put out food on the table while Seth and Billy manned the barbecue.

In the darkness, they noticed Quil turn towards them and smile.

"It's about time," Quil quipped, sensing them coming towards the deck, as he placed another bowl of buns on the table. "What were they doing? Making the boys walk the whole way here on two legs?"

Seth snorted, his eyes on the barbecue even though he could sense the four coming closer to the deck in the darkness. "You really think they'd have them run here after taking five days to get those two boys to calm down enough to phase back?"

"Leave it to a Lahote and a Black to be the ones to take the longest to phase back," Quil said, with a smirk. "I was only wolf for a day and a half."

The conversation came to a sudden halt when Jacob appeared, and glanced at Quil.

"Jo has you beat there, you know."

While Seth cackled, Quil rolled his eyes.

"Whoa Dad! You sure went all out," Jacob said as he turned towards the table of food. On one side of him, both Ryan and Nate stared down at the food their stomach's audibly growling.

"Well, I knew that the boys would be hungry after what they've been through over the past few days," he said, tilting his head to look at his two grandson's. Their faces, legs and arms were dirty and Billy could only imagine the state of their hands.

"Why don't you boys get cleaned up inside," he suggested to them.

When the two boys glanced over at Jacob, he gave them a silent nod before they walked into the house.

"Is everything all right with them?" Billy asked once the boys were inside, having seen the exchange between them and Jacob.

"They're just being cautious," Jacob replied. "Over the past few days, they've realized how strong they are and how short a fuse they have. I think they're a little afraid of hurting someone or breaking something."

Billy nodded in understanding, looking towards the door that his grandson's just passed through.

"Are you sure you want them staying with you?" Paul asked. "We could find another alternative, like keep them out at one of the hunting cabins like what Sam, Jared and Embry are doing for their sons."

"As much as I understand what the others are doing for their boys, I want to be able to support my grandson's while they endure this change in their lives - Much like I did for you when you were going through this," Billy said, looking to Jacob.

"Okay," he said softly, understanding Billy's desire to help. "But I'll be sending someone by in the morning to pick them up. We're going to have to start them on some rigorous training right away."

As the days progressed, each morning, a member of the pack arrived at Billy's house, just as Jacob had said. They were gone all day, having been woken at 6am and brought back at night by 9. In their short time at Billy's each night, Nate and Ryan managed to squeeze in a shower and sometimes a small meal before collapsing on the beds that Billy had arranged in Jacob and the twin's old bedrooms. Habitually, each night before going to bed, Billy peeked in on his grandson's as they slept. There was no doubt in his mind that Jacob was putting them through some gruelling training. They slept soundly, not even moving a muscle from where they had fallen asleep. They had grown both physically and mentally in those few short days, but in those moments where Billy would just watch them sleep, he could see the teenage boys that they still were.

They returned to his house for nearly a week before Jacob found that the new pack members were ready to go back to their own homes. After having a rather lengthy run through the woods after a storm, Sam took the boys to clean up at his place before sending them home. The last thing the boys needed were more questions from their siblings once they did return home. It worked out well - Emily and Sean were out shopping and Liz was out with Kyle in Port Angeles for the evening, leaving the Uley's house empty.

Being that Jonah and Derek were the ones who came out covered in the most dirt, they took turns in the shower while the others cleaned up at the sink. Sam passed out towels, reminding them to keep the mess to a minimum for Emily's sake. Talon took the warning seriously, knowing how his Mom could be and snapped loudly at Ryan when he splashed water onto the floor.

"Talon!" Sam shouted, opening the front door. "Outside! Now!"

Nate smirked as Talon walked out of the house, his face disgruntled.

"Seriously man," Nate said, running the water on his arms and rubbing his skin with his hands. "You knew that would set him off."

Ryan splashed water on his face and chuckled. "'Course I did! I was sick and tired of his gloating about how cool and calm he can be. So much for that!"

"You know he'll realize you did that on purpose the next time you phase."

"I'm not afraid of Uley," Ryan said.

"He's bigger than you."

Ryan snorted.

"And that only makes him slower."

The sound of an engine approaching caused both boys to pause. At the same moment, Sam walked in.

"What's going on?"

"I recognize the car," Sam said, making his way towards the bathroom to get Derek out of it. "It's Kyle's. You guys all need to leave. The last thing I want is that kid asking questions about what's going on here."

While Ryan emptied the sink, Nate quickly wiped up the floor. Sam came rushing back out with Derek behind him, his hair still dripping wet.

They stepped out of the house just as the headlights came around the corner, lighting up the front porch.

"Too late," Jonah said, walking up to Sam as he walked out. "What do we do now?"

"Don't say a word. If you feel like you're going to phase, get out of here," he warned the five boys around him.

The engine turned off, blanketing the air in silence as the boys stood frozen, as though they were afraid to move. They hadn't been with any humans except for Billy for nearly two weeks and the very thought of it caused them to become apprehensive about the situation.

The headlights went out before the passenger side door opened. Sam heard one of the boys behind him take a quick gasp of a breath but he didn't turn to see who it was or what the problem could be.

"Dad? What are you doing out here?" Liz's voice said as she approached in the darkness. "I thought you were out with..."

She paused as her eyes fell on a boy who, up until a two weeks ago was shorter than she was. He was only wearing a pair of shorts, just like the boys around him and was also barefoot.

"Talon?"

He smiled.

"Hey Liz. It's good to see you."

Her mouth opened and closed a few times as her eyes scanned the other boys around him, unable to recognize them in the darkness. Behind her, the drivers side door opened and closed before Kyle approached.

"What...? Where the hell have you been?"

"It's a long story," he replied softly.

"You sure you're all right?" Kyle suddenly asked, his arm pulling Liz into his side. "You're looking different."

An audible growl coming from behind Sam instantly caused him to turn. His eyes landed on Nate before he quickly turned back to his daughter and told Liz to go inside with Kyle with the assurance that they'll be in shortly.

The look in Nate's eyes told him enough. They were filled with rage, but not towards Liz. Instead, it was against Kyle.

While Liz and Kyle made their way to the door, Nate was about to follow, determination and anger in his eyes before Sam quickly grabbed ahold of his shoulder.

"You can't go near her."

Nate shrugged his arm off before Sam called for the boys around him to get Nate into the woods and to not allow him to come near the house. Nate struggled within their grasp, growling and demanding that they let him go. It was his vehement declaration that she belongs to him that further convinced Sam of what had happened.

Nate had imprinted on his daughter.

* * *

 _ **A/N**_

 _ **So...this has been done for a couple days now. But, I've been in and out of the hospital with kidney stones! OMG! I wouldn't wish that pain on anyone! It was horrible! I was throwing up from it being so bad. It had gotten so bad that I was on morphine for a few days! Oh, and morphine made me so drowsy and loopy feeling. I didn't like it at all. But now that I'm feeling better, I hope to get the next chapter out soon. Please review!**_


	26. Chapter 26

"Get your hands off of me!" Nate growled as he was pulled into the woods. While Nate struggled as hard as he could, Jonah and Talon held onto either of his arms with no intention of listening to his demands. "Let me go!"

Sam grabbed ahold of Derek's shoulder, telling him to quickly phase and get them some backup. He needed to get back to his house and get Kyle away from Liz as quickly as he could before Nate would do something to the kid that he'd regret.

Derek nodded, dropped his shorts and phased, all within a matter of seconds. He didn't run off, but simply watched as Nate was being forceably held as he mentally contacted whomever was on patrol at the moment.

"Come on, guys! What is your problem!? For some reason, I just...I just need to see her!" Nate shouted, his eyes pleading towards Sam. "Please."

"I know that you do," Sam told him softly with understanding. "But I can't let you."

Sam's response wasn't what Nate was wanting to hear. A deep snarl resonated within Nate's chest as he continued to struggle against Talon and Jonah's firm grip. Ryan rushed from behind him and wrapped his arms around his chest to further help his two pack brothers.

"Nate! What the hell's wrong with you, man!?" Ryan asked, grunting against the exertion he was putting into holding his cousin still.

"It's like he just snapped!" Jonah commented, holding onto Nate's left arm.

"He imprinted," Sam said stoically, watching just as the realization came to Nate's hard face as the words sunk in.

"This...is imprinting?" Ryan exclaimed. "I thought it was supposed to be all flowers and rainbows and not this, angry shit!"

"Nate's angry because I'm making you guys keep him from her."

"But, there was only..." Jonah began before trailing off, while the others all came to the same conclusion. They glanced over at Talon as he realized it as well.

He glared at Nate.

"Liz?! You've got to be kidding me! You fucking imprinted on my sister!?"

A sudden flurry of activity and snarls suddenly errupted within the group causing Sam to quickly rush forward and place himself between Nate and Talon. As though they magically appeared out of thin air, Jared and Derek were pulling Talon away while Jacob shoved Nate back. At the same time, Sam pushed against Talon's chest, putting more space between the two volitile boys.

"He had no control over it," Sam told Talon sternly, before adding a softer, "believe me."

"Liz's at home right now?" Jacob asked over his shoulder, having already seen everything else that had transpired beforehand through Derek's eyes.

Sam nodded. "With Kyle. I need to get back there and get that kid off the Rez for his own safety."

Nate instinctively growled at the mention of Liz's boyfriend.

"And for her safety, Nate needs to stay away from Liz for the time being," Sam stated, pointing directly at him. "He's not in control."

Jacob shook his head. "Sam, you know that I can't give him an order like that. If he's imprinted on her..."

"I know that he has," Sam interrupted. "But the kid has barely mastered phasing and to throw an imprint at him right now is just too much for him to handle. For Liz's safety, he needs to back off for a bit until he's better in control of his temper."

No doubt, Sam was thinking of his experience with imprinting on Emily. Although it had occurred many years ago, the pack recognized that Sam still blamed himself for what he did to her. Even though he couldn't protect his daughter from being involved in his world any longer, he would be damned if he'd sit by and have her go through something like Emily had because he couldn't control his anger.

Jacob knew exactly what Sam was concerned about as he spoke.

"And not only that, but you know how intense the imprint can be for us. For Liz, she'll be confused about Nate's sudden preoccupation with her, especially since she isn't aware of our world. With your permission, I'm asking for just some time as I want to be the one to explain it to her. She's my daughter and as her father, I feel that it is my responsibility."

Jacob sighed, thinking about what he would do if he was in Sam's position and it was Sarah who had been imprinted upon. According to his inner wolf, Sarah was his own and the idea of someone suddenly declaring that she belonged to someone else caused an unquenchable rage to rise up within him for a brief moment. Jacob could only imagine the anger that he was subsequently holding back as a result of discovering that Nate had imprinted on Liz.

"You have two days," Jacob told Sam. "I can't order him to stay away though."

"I know," Sam replied softly, before glaring hard over at Nate. "Just, make sure he gives her space."

Jacob looked over at Nate, seeing the firm expression he was giving back to Sam. "You heard that?"

Nate gave a curt nod before Jacob told the boys to let go of Nate's arms. Slowly, the boys complied, their eyes carefully watching Nate for any sudden movements.

Sam watched him, somewhat skeptical that he'd keep his word. With a final glance, Sam jogged back out of the woods, leaving Jared and Jacob with the group of five newbies.

"You imprinted, man!" Jonah exclaimed joyfully, slapping Nate on the back. Nate didn't even crack a smile at his excitement. "I was kinda hoping that I'd be the first, so you guys could all suffer through jealousy of hearing my thoughts."

"Which is why we're teaching you guys to keep those thoughts to yourselves," Jared added with a chuckle. "We don't want to see what you guys are up to any less than you'd like to see images of your parents making out."

Ryan winced. "Oh god. I see that enough as it is."

Jacob smiled at his nephew. "We're all glad that your Dad can keep his thoughts underwrap. But we'll work more with you guys so you'll be able to master it as well."

He paused and looked over at Talon as he stood, his arms crossed and appeared not at all enthused as the others were that Nate had imprinted on his sister. In fact, he still glared at Nate who still had yet to smile or say a word.

"And for the time being, we'll put you on a different rotation than Nate," Jacob told Talon before looking over at Jared.

It seemed as though Jared had also noted Nate's behaviour. Sensing Jacob's need to find out what was going on in Nate's head, Jared sent Talon back towards his house and rounded up the three other boys and assured Jacob that he'd get them all home.

Jacob watched as Nate's eyes followed Talon before the boy disappeared into the darkness of the woods, leaving the father and son alone.

"I wasn't around when Paul had imprinted on Rachel, but the assurance that he made her happy and seeing how devoted he was to her was enough for me to know that he was right for her," Jacob said, as he sat down on a fallen tree. "Talon will come around."

Nate snorted. "Talon can be angry all he wants. It doesn't bother me."

"Then, what is it? What's wrong?"

Nate paced slightly in front of him and Jacob had to hold back a smile at the way his son was growling in frustration.

"Nothing, nothing is wrong," he admitted. "I'm just wondering if maybe...maybe the Spirit's could be wrong. If maybe, she isn't the one."

"You know, I questioned Billy the same thing when I met your Mom but I've seen it time and time again," Jacob told him. "They aren't wrong."

Nate stopped and turned to Jacob.

"But why her? Why Liz Uley?" He huffed in frustration before glancing up at the canopy above them. "I mean, she's perfect, she's beautiful and smart..."

"And you've been friends with her since you were babies," Jacob added. "I'm really not surprised that she was the one you imprinted on. It makes sense."

"But for her, it doesn't," Nate stated. "You said it - We're just friends."

"You do know that the imprint's relationship can be whatever they want it to be," Jacob reminded him. "If she wants your relationship to remain platonic for now as it always has been, then she'll have your friendship until she's ready to move on."

Nate let out a deep breath and looked down.

"I don't know if I could handle that right now," he said softly. "When I saw that dipshit of a boyfriend just touch her back, I barely had enough control to keep myself from phasing right then and there. All I wanted to do was to push Sam out of the way and rip that damned boyfriend's hand off for touching her. I think I'd loose my mind if I saw her kiss him."

Nate sighed, relaxing his clenched hands and shook them out before running them through his hair. He shook his head.

"For my whole life, I've always cared for Liz like I would a sister. I don't know if I could do that anymore."

"That's a decision that has to be left up to her," Jacob told him.

Nate nodded. "I know. And I'm afraid of what she might say to all of this."

Jacob sighed and stood up beside Nate, resting his hand on his shoulder.

"I know that it must be overwhelming and feel a bit hopeless right now," he told him softly. "But Sam will talk to her. Give her a few days to process everything. In the meantime, you need to go home and rest. We've had you working hard the past two weeks. Besides, your Mom is wanting to see you."

Nate opened his mouth to speak, his eyes focused on the darkness behind Jacob and undoubtedly the Uley's house in the distance. Although Jacob hadn't been a witness to the imprinting, and had yet to see Nate's memories in his own mind, Jacob could see the connection that he already had with his imprint. The desire and compulsion to be near her was visibly strong in Nate's eyes.

"And then you can come back out here," Jacob told him. "You'll stick to the shadows and the forest covering. Just remember the promise you gave to Sam."

"I remember," Nate assured him with an eye roll.

"I wont order you, but I need you to keep your distance from Liz."

Nate paused. He knew that while Jacob's orders caused pack members to be compelled to follow, it had been found that Nate didn't feel the same compulsion. Yet, as Nate was under his pack's covering, Nate still obeyed considering his wolf felt the desire to please the Alpha and to learn from his direction.

"Wait...you wont order me?"

"I realize that my orders don't have the same affect on you as they do on the others, but regardless, I can't forcefully keep imprinted wolves from their imprint. But I can recommend and in this case implore that you follow Sam Uley's wishes."

Jacob paused and smirked.

"Besides, he is your imprint's father and I'm sure if he wanted to, he could make the rest of your life a liviing hell," he told him.

The expression on Nate's face as he realized Jacob was right caused him to burst out laughing. With a remaining chuckle, he slapped Nate on the shoulder before encouraging him to run beside him back to the house.

* * *

"Okay, that was just a bit wierd," Kyle commented dryly, as he walked into the house with Liz right behind him. "I'm pretty sure I heard somoene growl out there."

Liz had closed the front door and turned to carefully push aside the curtains to glance back through the window in time to see the group of boys hustle as they partially pulled one of them into the dark woods. A large part of her was concerned for the strange guy who was being forcefully pulled into the forest beside their house. Her mind flashed back to seeing Talon before her eyes quickly surveyed the boys...no, men, around him. Liz could barely make out their shadows in the darkness, but she could see the whites of their eyes. She had paused on a certain pair for a brief moment before recalling her anger towards her brother for his sudden disappearance. Liz somehow knew that those same eyes belonged to the man that was being pulled into the woods for some unknown reason. As curious and concerned as she was for him, the tone in Sam's voice when he told her to go inside convinced her that she had better obey.

"I'm sorry to say this, Liz, but I don't think your brother had chicken pox. I think he and his pals might be on drugs."

Liz quickly turned, dropping the curtain to see that Kyle had already gotten himself comfortable on their living room sofa. She chuckled incredulously.

"Drugs? You're not serious."

Kyle shrugged. "How else could Talon have grown nearly a foot and put on all that muscle so quickly?"

Liz scoffed before she walked across the room to join him.

"You have seen my Dad, right? Genetics were bound to catch up with Talon sooner or later," she told him. "To think that just because Talon suddenly went through a rapid growth spurt is due to drugs is utter nonesense. My brother knows better than that and I'm certain my Dad would put the fear of God in him if he ever did do drugs."

Liz sat down beside Kyle and he casually put his arm around her shoulder. He smiled at her.

"Okay, so say it was some nasty growth spurt that he went through," he began, "what are the chances that your brother and all his buddies go through it all at the same time as well?"

Liz shook her head and chuckled.

"You're reading into this way too much," she assured him. "Quileute guys are just...built. Chalk it up to centuries of fishing on the ocean and building boats with their own hands. It's in our genes."

"Maybe," Kyle admitted. "But something just doesn't add up. Plus, why were all barefoot, half dressed and hanging out in the dark?"

Again, Liz chuckled.

"You need to relax," she told him, before running her hand over his face. "You're overanalyzing everything."

Kyle closed his eyes, enjoying the sensation of Liz's fingers on his forehead and then his cheeks. He sighed.

"Maybe I am," he admitted with a smile. "Perhaps you could help me relax a bit more?"

Liz nodded slyly and leaned it to kiss his lips. Kyle's arms wrapped around her shoulders. Gently, he settled her over his lap. Liz felt his hands squeeze her hips and moan into her mouth as she kissed him.

The sound of footsteps on the porch caused her to quickly move off of him, wiping her mouth with the back of her hand just as the front door opened.

Sam's chest was heaving as he stepped through the door. Based on the blush on Liz's face and Kyle's inability to turn his way, he knew that he had interrupted an intimate moment between the two and he was glad that he had run home. At any other time, he would've ignored it and walked past, except this time, he couldn't. The scent of Kyle's arosal was strong in the house and for him it caused an anger to rise up within his wolf. He was certain that if Nate were to catch the same scent, that Kyle wouldn't be alive for too long.

Clenching his fists, he cleared his throat.

"Kyle, it's best that you head home for the night," Sam told him.

Thinking it best to obey his girlfriend's father, Kyle quickly stood up and smiled sheepishly before moving to the door. Liz quickly grabbed ahold of Kyle's hand and insisted on seeing him out.

Instead, Sam shook his head, and put his hand on her shoulder as they approached.

"Not tonight," he told her. Before she could make any rebuttal, Sam continued. "You and I need to talk."

Upon hearing that, Kyle's hand slipped from Liz's. He winked at her and he gave her the quick assurance that he'd call her later before he closed the door behind him.

Sam let out a sigh of relief when he heard Kyle's car engine turn on and the sound of the gravel driveway giving way beneath the tires before the car was no longer in sight.

He turned back to Liz, to see her standing in front of him with her arms crossed.

"Dad, I am not a little girl anymore," she began forcefully. "You have to trust me to know that I wont put myself in situations that I might not be ready for. Mom has already talked to me about sex and believe me when I say, Kyle and I aren't doing anything like that."

Sam's eyes widened before he shook his head.

"As happy as I am to hear that, that isn't what I wanted to talk to you about."

The anger washed off of Liz's face as her arms fell to her side. A sudden sheepish expression crossed her face.

"It's not?"

"No, surprisingly, this is a little more serious than that."

He invited her to sit down at the kitchen table. Sam watched as she looked up at him as she folded her hands in front of her.

"What is this about then?"

Sam paced slightly before he sighed, resting his hands on the top of a chair across from where Liz sat.

He began with the stories that had been told many times from when she was a child; the legends of Taha Aki, the Cold Ones, the Spirit Warriors, before branching off into telling her about her great-great grandfather, Levi Uley. Sam watched her expression, starting from curious to interested before a smile came to her face.

"That's a good story, Dad," she stated. "But I still don't get why this is important."

"It's important, because...it is something you need to know. Not only that, but our family is wrapped up in this history. The same blood that caused Taha Aki to change into a wolf, caused your great-great grandfather to change as well. The genes are in our blood."

Liz chuckled before pushing out her chair behind her to stand up.

"You're telling me that the Uley family are all wolves?"

"Not all of us," he quickly replied. "So far, just myself and your brother. It didn't seem to affect you and Shawn is still too young. Hopefully by the time he is old enough, vampires wont be in the area to cause him to change."

Liz rolled her eyes. "I don't know which is more far fetched - Talon being on drugs or all those stories of wolves and vampires that we heard growing up being real."

Sam sighed. "Liz, I know it sounds crazy. I still have trouble believing it and I've known about it for twenty years."

Liz scoffed, still not believing what he was saying. "Twenty years?"

Sam nodded. "I was the first of my generation to phase after our great-grandfathers. Soon after, there were others. The gene has been found in the decendants of Ephraim Black as well as Quil Ateara, among others that we quickly discovered. The reason behind Talon's sudden growth spurt and recent disappearance is that he is a part of the newest generation."

Before Liz could say anything in response, the front door opened and Talon walked in. He had heard a portion of Sam's explanation to his sister before he decided to walk into the house.

"It's true, Liz," he told her, softly. "I wouldn't have believed it either if Dad had told me that I'd someday be able to turn into a huge wolf and run through the woods on four legs. Besides, you know that Dad has a horrible poker face when we play cards. He's not bluffing this time."

At that statement, Liz looked from Talon to Sam, realizing for the first time that what Talon had said was true. There was no sign in Sam's face that he was trying to pull her leg or lie to her. His eyes were soft, and pleading as he had attempted to explain everything as being true to her. The sudden realization caused her to quickly stand up and push her chair out, taking a step back.

Seeing the sudden trepidation in her eyes, Sam quickly reminded her of the day that she had gone into the woods to find Ryan Lahote and Nate Black. He told her what had happened; the vampire that threatened her life, Brady Fuller who had come to her rescue before the Cullen's intervened and in turn bandaged up her leg.

"Everyone said that it was my imagination," she said softly. Liz looked up at Sam, an anger in her eyes. "You told me that what I had seen and heard wasn't real."

Sam shook his head. "I'm sorry for lying to you then. You were barely eight years old. I didn't want you to fear this part of my life. I did it to protect you."

"Protect me?!" She shrieked. "I had nightmares for months!"

Sam pinched his eyes shut, remembering the crying fits that he'd wake up hearing in the night. For many nights, Liz would slip into bed between himself and Emily, desiring that comfort from those dreams that haunted her.

"And everytime, I would whisper to you that the wolves around La Push are here to keep you safe," he told her. "That is exactly what the pack is for. We're protectors."

Liz looked from Sam, to Talon and then back to her father. She crossed her arms.

"Spirit Warriors, right?"

Sam nodded. "That's right."

Liz scoffed. "This is just insane."

"I know it's hard to believe, but it's true."

Liz sighed.

"You said that you've been like this for twenty years and none of us knew."

"A few did."

"Why are you telling me now?"

Sam glanced quickly at Talon, but it was long enough to tell his son non-verbally to leave the room. He looked back at Liz.

"Because I have to."

Liz dropped her arms from being crossed. "You have to? I don't understand."

Once again, Sam suggested that she sit down. He knew based on her body language and her mood, that what he was about to tell her may not be well received.

"Something happened tonight when you came home."

Sam watched Liz's face carefully as he explained precisely what had happened when Nate saw her and what it meant. He told her about when he had first met Emily and the overwhelming desire to be with her. Sam explained that from the wolf's point of view, the imprints was the most important person in the world to him and that he'd go out of his way to ensure that she was protected. He spoke passionately about it and the assurance that it was the Spirits that simply shown them who they were destined to be with. Before long, as he spoke, Liz was shaking her head wordlessly as tears came to her eyes.

"Dad, I can't," she said, pushing her chair out from the table. "I just...can't."

Before he could say anything else, Liz left the table and headed down the hallway. Sam heard the sound of her bedroom door close before it locked.

"Damn it," he cursed, running his hands over his face. As much as he wasn't thrilled with Nate's imprinting on Liz, coming from someone who knows what imprinting is like, he couldn't help but feel anguish towards her reaction

Quickly, he picked up the phone and called the one person who he knew could help sort out this mess.

* * *

"Where is she?" Emily asked the moment she walked in the door. Sam met her at the threshold and took her purse and jacket while Shawn, ear buds resting on his shoulder walked past them both and placed the bags of groceries on the kitchen table.

"She's still in her room," Sam replied, while Emily gestured to Shawn to start emptying the bags. "She hasn't come out yet or said a word when I knocked."

When Sam had called her, Emily was shocked to hear that someone had imprinted on Liz but to hear that it was Nate wasn't surprising. Their concern had always been that she'd join her brother with the fever. Never once did it cross her mind that she'd be imprinted upon by one of the newest wolves. When Sam told her that Jacob allowed him to explain the existence of the wolves and imprinting to Liz before she quickly retreated for her room, Emily became concerned. Knowing how Sam may have explained imprinting from his point of view, Emily quickly returned home.

Having heard his Mom's voice, Talon walked out from his own bedroom, causing both Emily and Shawn to pause.

While Shawn still stared, Emily smiled and walked up to her eldest son, touching him on his face.

"Could you help your brother empty those bags?" She asked him softly. "I'd love to talk to you right now but I need to talk to your sister first."

Talon smiled and nodded, completely understanding after having overheard what had happened with Liz's conversation with his Dad.

Giving him a small smile, she turned and went down the hallway. With a deep breath, she knocked on the door. As she guessed, Liz didn't respond to the greeting.

"Liz, honey, open up," Emily said softly. "We need to talk. Your Dad and brothers are in the kitchen so it's just you and me."

Again, there was no verbal response, but this time, the door unlocked before Liz pulled it open, quickly turning to head back to her bed.

With a sigh, Emily walked in and closed the door behind her before turning to see Liz laying on her bed. She couldn't see her face, but based on the fact that Liz was purposely avoiding looking at her and the soft sniffing she was hearing, Emily knew that Liz had been crying.

"It's not fair," Liz said softly, her eyes looking out the window into the night.

"What's not fair?"

"All of it. Why did he imprint on me? Nate knows that I have a boyfriend."

Emily sat down on the bed beside Liz's legs.

"It wasn't his choice," she replied.

"See, that alone isn't fair. Nate should have the choice to...imprint on whomever he wants, not just what the universe thinks is best."

Emily smiled softly.

"It's hard to understand what the universe thinks is best when you only see a small portion of the bigger picture."

Liz shook her head and rolled over before she sat up. It was then that Emily saw the tears stained on her daughter's cheeks.

"Mom, I'm just so confused," she gasped, tears pouring from her eyes. "I don't know what to do."

Emily pulled Liz in beside her, brushing her fingers through her dark hair like she did when she was younger.

"Right now, you don't have to do anything," Emily assured her. "The whole concept of imprinting is confusing at best. I'm sure Nate is having a lot of the same feelings right now."

Liz snorted.

"I doubt it. According to Dad, he made it sound like for them it's all love at first sight."

"In a way, it is," Emily confirmed. "But at the same time, Nate's instinct and drive to suddenly want to be near you and to protect you has to be a little overwhelming and strange for him. Your Dad said that he didn't put up a fight when he asked that he keep his distance from you for a few days. That tells me that he's just as freaked out about the whole thing as you are."

Liz didn't say anything but rubbed her nose with her hand.

"What about Kyle? I can't hurt him, Mom. I can't hurt either of them."

Emily sighed, knowing she was referring to both Kyle and Nate at the same time.

"You're so much like your Dad," she said softly. "You care so much."

"Did you know that when your Dad imprinted on me, he was dating Leah Clearwater?"

Liz looked up at Emily in surprise. Emily simply nodded her head.

"He didn't want to hurt Leah, so he tried to keep the relationship going and I even encouraged it for Leah's sake, all the while knowing that I was the one that he wanted to be with. It wasn't until we got into an argument about it that your Dad's temper flared and I was standing too close. That's how I got the scars on my face."

Liz listened to Emily while her Mom gently traced the pattern of the scars down the side of her neck.

"Anyways, while I was in the hospital, your Dad didn't leave my side. He hated himself for almost killing me and at the same time, he was angry with himself for how he hurt Leah for leaving her for me. But the imprint towards me was so strong that he couldn't keep fighting it."

"This is different though," Liz said. "Nate isn't the one who would be leaving someone behind. I can't hurt either of them."

Emily sighed. "Unfortunately, you'd have to make a decision because it wouldn't be fair to either Kyle or Nate."

Liz looked down.

"If I chose to stay with Kyle, what would happen to Nate?"

"That is probably a better question for your Dad, but I'd imagine he'd never move on," Emily told her. "His wolf is forever tied to you. Your safety and well being is the most important thing to him now. But how you define the relationship is completely up to you."

"So, we could stay friends," she stated rather than asked.

"In theory," Emily told her with a wince. "But I have yet to see an imprinting that remained like that. The elders had many theories over the years as to why imprinting occurs. Some thought it was a way to bring bloodlines together that could create stronger generations should the vampires return. Some ideas were that it was simply for the wolf to find their other half, or the person who could calm the rage that had the potential to extinguish the human side of themselves.

"Either way, Nate could be the best thing that's never happened to you."

"But Mom, I love Kyle," Liz said, having spoken the words aloud to anyone for the first time.

"Then, you have some serious thinking to do," Emily told her. "Just know, that I'll support any decision you do make."

With a sigh, Emily stood up and smiled. "I'm always here if you want to talk some more."

Liz nodded silently, before pulling her legs in towards her and wrapping her arms around them.

"Mom," she suddenly said, gaining Emily's attention once more. "Are there any other strange things that come with imprinting?"

Emily stopped, curiously.

"Stange things? I don't think I follow."

Liz looked down at her hands before she shrugged. She hadn't seen Nate in days, let alone had the time to test her theory out. Now with the alleged imprint, she wasn't certain if she wanted to.

Originally, she had planned to find Nate and shake his hand, expecting to see something happen once again in her mind. But now with everything that had happened in a matter of hours, she wanted to keep her distance from him.

Liz shrugged. "Oh, I was just wondering."

Emily nodded and smiled softly before leaving the room.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _Anon - your wish is my command. ;)_**

 ** _Please Review!_**


	27. Chapter 27

_A/N - Extra long chapter cause I love my readers._

* * *

Aro sat back and drummed his fingers along his chair. Although he was never one to outwardly show his frustrations, the two vampires beside him could taste it in the air. The news of Owen's unprecedented demise had finally returned to Voltura with two Volturi scouts. While the two scouts that had been sent after to search hadn't recovered any trace of him, it had become suspected that he most likely had an encounter with the wolves that lived in that area. Aro had been so careful, to allow Owen to see into his mind before sending the guard to Washington to search for the child...Nathaneal...who would undoubtedly reached maturity at that time. He had suspected that the Cullen's would be protective of the child, especially Carlisle and as such, Aro's decisions were most likely being monitored.

While Aro's anger flared, Caius became increasingly concerned about the dispute with the Romanians, while Marcus remained optimistic. But when they receive word that not only was Owen destroyed, but also to hear that the Cullen's had returned to Washington and that there had been Romanian operatives in the area, it sent Caius' paranoia into overdrive.

"It would seem that the Cullen's have finally chosen sides. Not only that, but the Romanian's have enlisted those wolves that you're so interested in to further aid their cause in taking over Voltura," Caius commented aloud, the drumming of Aro's fingers quickly coming to a stop.

"We aren't certain of that yet," Aro said softly.

"Why else would the Romanian's travel that distance?"

"It is most likely curiosity given that we had sent Owen to search for the child with orders to return with him," Marcus stated plainly. "They must have followed him."

"That does not explain why the Cullen's returned. Perhaps Owen's abilities in extracting the information required from Aro wasn't as foolproof as we had thought," Caius argued. "With the possibility of Bella, Edward and Alice joining the Romanian's, our victory is no longer sealed. We should be preparing for a war sooner than later and use the element of surprise against them."

Aro put up his hands, and smiled sweetly at the two sitting on either side of him.

"Brothers, let us not jump to conclusions. Everything will go according to plan."

"And what plan is that?" Caius asked.

"The same plan that it has always been," Aro told him. "The child will join us."

"You sound so certain, Aro," Marcus drawled from his seat.

Aro turned on his heel and smiled.

"Because, that child is still human and as such, he'll be able to be swayed with human emotions and desires. We just simply have to find the one thing that makes him...tick." Aro sighed and sat back down.

"Get Jane and Alec down here," Aro said with a smile. "Tell them they're going on a trip."

* * *

For Nate, there was no such thing as a good night sleep. The past two nights had been a living nightmare. He tossed and turned while he listened to his little brother snore across the room for hours on end. Combined with the seemingly endless patrol lapse around the perimeter of La Push to keep himself occupied, it was no wonder that he woke up the second morning feeling like he had been hit by a truck. Physical exhaustion wasn't his only problem. His mind was constantly on Liz. Her wellbeing and current location plagued his thoughts as he ran. Her face swam within his consciousness as he struggled to sleep. Nate could almost hear her voice and was certain that it was her that woke him up on more than one occasion as he struggled to stay asleep. But he had kept his word to Sam Uley and stayed away, despite how hard it had become. He had no appetite and when he did eat, his stomach rebelled. Knowing that he was waking up to the second and final day that he agreed to stay away from Liz, he ignored the turning of his stomach and got up.

When he finally walked into the kitchen, Jo winced before she passed him a cup of coffee. His face was starting to show the affects of overexerting himself along with the lack of sleep due to his nearly constant concern for Liz. His head pounded and his eyes were hurting, feeling almost as though he was once again being plagued by allergies.

"You know that caffeine no longer has an affect on me," he said, begrudgingly as he took the cup, the aroma doing very little to waken his senses or clear the cobwebs. If anything, it simply turned his stomach all the more.

"It can't hurt to try," his Mom said, with a weak smile while she watched him sit down at the table.

Jo could see the affects of being away from his imprint were taking on Nate. He didn't look himself. Yet, she was proud that he had respected Sam Uley enough to force himself to stay away. Jacob had told her how much mental force Nate had to fight to keep his wolf from instinctively going towards the Uley's home. The mental fight was showing, not only physically but also in his personality.

As Nate forced himself to take a sip of his coffee, he noticed the unusually quiet house. Nate hadn't seen Liam in his bed when he finally came out of their shared room and he couldn't sense his sister at home either.

"Where is everyone?"

"Oh, your Dad took Liam and Sarah to school this morning," Jo replied, looking out the kitchen window over the sink, anticipating Jacob's return anytime. "Knowing how...off-centre you've been lately, he thought it would be better to drive them in before you woke up. I think he may have stopped at Sue's diner on the way to pick up some breakfast for them."

It took a moment before something registered with Nate.

"School started?"

Jo smiled weakly at him. "You were gone for nearly two weeks. Classes started up a few days ago."

Nate looked down at the mug in front of him and sighed. He knew how important his schooling was to his Mom and Dad. They had talked about it all the time - the places he could go and the choices he had. So, he was surprised that they hadn't even mentioned missing school or how he didn't even realize that it was that time of year.

"I'll get back tomorrow," he assured her. "I'm sure it's not too late to..."

"Don't worry about it," Jo interrupted, putting her hand over his own before sitting down beside him. "We're not expecting you to be able to juggle school, and your duties within the pack. Not to mention going over numerous fighting strategies with Quil each day."

 _'And don't forget Liz_ ', his mind unconsciously spoke to him.

"Ryan, Jonah, Talon and Derek are going through the same thing. There's a lot going on right now and the priority at the moment is the protection of the tribe," Jo told him. "Your Grandfather, your Dad and I and the elders all agree. There will be time for school later. And if it comes down to it, you can always do what your Dad did and get your GED early."

Nate sighed.

"So, I'm guessing that leaving for college next fall is out of the question."

"For now, unfortunately, it is," Jo said softly. "I'm sorry, Nate." She paused before continuing. "I'm certain that once this whole Volturi and Romanian fiasco blows over that there would be time for it, but you do know that as the future Alpha, you're tied to La Push."

"Yeah, Dad mentioned something like that," he stated bitterly.

"It's not the end of the world," Jo reminded him with a hopeful smile. "Talk to your Dad about it. I know that he felt the same way for a while."

Nate scoffed.

"And then you came here, he imprinted on you, you had me and bam! - you all lived happily ever after," Nate said sarcastically with an eye roll. "Yeah, yeah, I know."

Jo sat back in her chair and crossed her arms, not at all amused by Nate's mood. Nate noticed the change in her demeanour and sighed.

"I'm sorry, Mom," he said softly, running his hand over his face. "I know that this lack of sleep is making me even more temperamental than I should be. I just can't wait for this day to be over with."

Jo stood up and brushed her fingers over Nate's head, inwardly missing the length that he had only two short weeks prior.

"It's not just the lack of sleep, is it?"

They both knew what it was; his avoidance of Liz. Nate sighed and put his head down on his forearm.

"I heard that you were getting a break from patrol today, so I spoke with Billy," Jo told him. Nate raised his head slowly and turned to look at her, slightly confused. "If you're up to it, he has some wood that needs chopping. I'm sure it'll make the day pass by quicker and keep your mind off of things for a while."

She paused for a moment when she saw the disinterested expression on his face. He wasn't looking forward to another day of strenuous activity, regardless of whether it made the time pass quicker or not.

"And I'll need for you to pick up the kids from school," she told him, with a knowing smile. "If you're lucky, you might be able to see Liz there."

A smile grew on Nate's face for the first time in two days. The wheels in his mind quickly began to spin as he considered this an opportunity to not only to catch a glimpse of Liz but possibly talk to her. He pushed out his chair and swiftly stood up. With a smirk, he kissed Jo on the cheek before heading towards the door.

"Whoa, you're suddenly in a hurry," she commented with a chuckle, still surprised by his sudden display of affection. "Don't you want something to eat first? Grandpa's not expecting you for another hour."

Nate shrugged, pulling on his worn work boots.

"I have so many butterflies in my stomach, I doubt I'd be able to eat anyways."

He was out the door before Jo could insist. She watched as he climbed into the Rabbit and spun the tires before heading out towards the main road. Less than a minute later, Jacob's pickup came down that same driveway. Jo walked out onto the porch and smiled as he climbed out of the truck. Jacob gestured behind him with his thumb.

"Where's he off to in such a hurry?" Jo walked down the porch, meeting Jacob halfway.

"To your Dad's to do some yard work," she replied. "Hmm," Jacob said thoughtfully, glancing behind him.

"I didn't think he'd have the energy to even want to do anything today."

Jo shrugged. "I just gave himself some motivation."

Jacob quickly turned back to her. "You told him about the bonfire tonight? Sam is hoping to get Liz to come."

"Heck no! He's like you. If I did that, he'd be pacing the floor all day, driving all of us crazy."

"So, what did you say?"

"I told him that he could pick up Liam and Sarah at school today. I reminded him that there was a possibility that he'd see Liz there. He needed some hope."

A smile slowly came to Jacob's face as he quickly pulled Jo into him.

"Mrs. Black, you are sneaky."

"I'm just concerned for him," she admitted, wrapping her arms around his chest and putting her head against his shoulder. "You should have seen him this morning, Jake. I've never seen him so worn. He looked like he hadn't slept in days."

"That's probably because he hasn't."

Jo sighed and lifted her head.

"I hate seeing him like this. I'd like to just go over to the Uley's house and..."

"And do what?" Jacob interrupted. "This is Nate's issue and it's his responsibility. I spoke with Sam last night about it and he was really appreciative of how Nate was respecting his wishes and handling the whole imprinting."

"Did he say how Liz was doing?"

Jacob sighed.

"He said that it seems like although Liz took the whole wolf pack and imprinting well enough, according to Emily, she's really confused about what to do. Liz has a pretty serious boyfriend that she cares a lot about. Sam and Emily are really concerned, but they've given her space to think."

Jo bit her lip.

"Maybe I shouldn't have encouraged him to seek her out at the school later on today."

Jacob shook his head.

"No, maybe seeing him and talking to him is what she needs. Liz needs that reminder that Nate is the same person she's always known and that they always had a connection. The imprint simply highlighted it and brought it to their attention."

"I hope you're right."

* * *

Red eyes.

He'd never forget those blood, red eyes. They were haunting.

Charlie would see them in his dreams along with memories of cryptic words spoken aloud by the man who seemed to have stepped out of time.

" _Blood doesn't lie. I can smell it and it proves to me that he is directly related to the child I'm looking for; the Alpha's firstborn and this human will tell me where he is."_

" _Never_!" Billy would shout before Charlie would wake with a start before he'd feel the hot pain of searing flesh.

Charlie had gotten better at hiding his nightmares so that Sue wouldn't worry. He'd wake in the night, plagued by them before he'd quietly go into the kitchen to get himself something to drink. As it was his routine when he was up, he's recline in his chair and watch some late-night infomercials to calm his racing mind and to erase the horrid memories. The memories were coming quicker and more consistently. While before they were quick images, he was now getting snippets of words that had been spoken; most of which didn't make any sense to begin with. He could now remember the moment he saw Old Quil being tossed into a tree right down to when he watched Old Quil's grandson change from a giant wolf into a man right before his eyes. Although he had gotten an explanation from Billy and the Coles Notes version of the history of the Quileute's, it didn't stop the nightmares nor did it explain the words that he had heard from the vampire. As much as he wanted to know what it all meant, he also wasn't keen on bringing up the memory of that day. It haunted him at night. He didn't need to be disturbed by them during the day as well. So he bottled it up, tight. But Sue noticed.

Sue could see the stress on Charlie's face as he'd sit on the porch each day and just stare off into the distance, his mind far away. When she'd ask about what he'd be thinking about in hopes that he'd finally open up, he smiled weakly at her and mentioned something about the weather. If not her, she hoped that he'd be willing to talk with Billy about it. But so far, no such luck.

Charlie hadn't visited Billy once since he returned home from the hospital. The relationship was strained. Plus, Sue knew of Charlie's fears and although he seemed okay to know about Quil, Leah and Seth and how they were a part of the mystical magic surrounding the Quileute people, he still wasn't comfortable to drive around the reservation. He had yet to trust them enough to protect everyone from vampires. So, either than the few visits to the station before he'd return to work full time next week, he remained at home. Charlie knew about the pack's existence, he still wasn't aware of who was all involved in it and that was beginning to really bother him.

With a sigh, Sue walked out of the house and looked over at Charlie as he sat on the porch once again, reading the morning paper.

"I'm heading out for a bit," she told him, as she shrugged on her jacket.

Sue turned and headed back inside to grab a few plastic containers of food off the kitchen table. Her announcement to Charlie caused him to follow inside after her.

"On your own?"

"I'm just going over to Billy's," she replied, picking up the containers. "I'm bringing the food over to his place in prep for the bonfire the boys are having tonight."

Sue heard Charlie sigh under his breath before he put down the paper on the table and turned to grab his jacket off the hook by the door.

"What are you doing?"

"I'm going with you," he replied, before grabbing his gun and holster from where he hung it daily by the door. Sue smiled and rolled her eyes.

"You don't need to come along. I'll be all right."

"Sue, there are damned vampires out there," he told her, as he wrapped the holster around his waist. "I'm not going to let you go to Billy's unprotected."

"Charlie, as sweet as it is that you feel the need to protect me from vampires, the reservation is one of the safest places in the world," she assured him.

"You can't guarantee that."

Without another word, he picked up a stack of plastic containers of food and walked out of the house towards the truck.

They made the quick trip over to Billy's house in relative silence. It wasn't until Charlie put the truck into park that he noticed a figure off in the distance towards the treeline behind Billy's house. He couldn't recognize the person given the distance away that he was, but could see clearly that whomever it was, was chopping wood with ease and precision.

"Who's that over there?"

Sue paused from opening her door, a smile coming to her face when she recognized who it was.

"That's Nate," she replied.

She left it at that before getting out of the truck before reaching for the food beside her. Sue paused, looking over at Charlie who sat in the driver's seat, appearing as though he had no intention of getting out.

"Are you coming in?" He shook his head, his eyes on Nate working near the treeline.

"Naw, I'll just wait here for you."

Sue smiled weakly before closing the door and headed towards Billy's front door. From within his safe confines of his pick up truck he watched as Nate chopped the wood. To Charlie, it seemed that the young boy whom he regarded as a grandson had grown in the time that he had been in his coma. He could barely recognize him as the boy he remembered. Charlie was used to seeing Nate with his shoulder-length wavy hair that he'd always tuck back behind his ears and cover with an old baseball hat. This Nate's hair was considerably shorter and although he had a white t-shirt on, Charlie could easily tell through it that he had built some muscle over the summer. He was no longer the lanky, tallish boy that he knew.

Charlie watched as Nate would bend over and pick up the two pieces of wood that he had chopped, one in each hand before throwing them roughly to the side into a growing pile. Nate repeated the action over and over, his chopping becoming quicker and tosses becoming harder each time. From Charlie's point of view, it was clear that Nate was becoming increasingly frustrated and aggitated. He could see his mouth moving as though he were talking with someone and by the expression on his face, it wasn't pleasant. It wasn't until Nate dropped the ax from his hand and collapsed hard onto his knees that Charlie became concerned. Envisioning the kid going through a horrible asthmatic attack, Charlie quickly unbuckled his seat belt and bolted from his truck towards Nate. He instantly forgot about his fears and ran as quickly as he could. It had seemed that he wasn't the only one who saw Nate fall.

Sue rushed out onto the back deck with Billy pushing hard on his wheelchair behind her, just as Charlie raced past.

"Charlie!" Sue called out, running after him. "Wait! Don't go near him!"

The warning went unheeded. Charlie's concern was strictly to get to Nate to help him. It was obvious to him that the boy was in medical distress and to not go near him was simply ridiculous.

"Charlie, stop," Nate struggled to say over his shoulder, as he put his hand out to the side in a feeble attempt to keep him away.

Upon hearing Nate's deep growling as he took each breath and watching as the muscle in his shoulders shuddered beneath the skin, Charlie backed up.

"Nate, is it your asthma? Let me help you."

"Just...stay back," he told him, just as Sue came up beside Charlie, grabbing his arm as she pulled him back.

"Charlie, we need to move away from him right now. This isn't safe."

"What the hell do you mean, it isn't safe? The kid is having a god-damned asthma attack here!" He turned and looked over at Nate. "Where's your puffer?!"

Nate didn't respond, but put his head in his hands as he seemed to try his best to get ahold of his anger and force himself to calm down.

"Charlie, you need to get back!" Another voice suddenly said before he saw Paul Lahote race barefoot and shirtless towards Nate, dropping onto his knees and looking at his nephew who was pinching his eyes tightly shut.

Paul could see Nate straining to keep himself together with each deep breath.

"I can't do this anymore," Nate groaned. Paul nodded, glancing back at Sue and Charlie to see they were far away.

"Then go wolf. No one is near you."

Nate shook his head, running his fingers roughly over his head.

"No, it's not that. I can't do this anymore - keeping myself away from her. It hurts too much. She's all I think about and it's driving me crazy!"

Paul sighed, realizing now what had Nate's wolf on edge. The distance that he had forced upon himself for Liz's benefit was starting to cause him to become unhinged. He was making himself physically ill. He had seen it before when Jacob purposely stayed away from Jo. Jacob didn't last long...less than 24 hours and he nearly came to blows with Embry. Nate was pushing 40 and it was clear that it had been far too long.

"Sorry bud," Paul said softly. "Nothing I can do about that for you right now. She's at school."

Nate growled just as Sam, Ryan and Jonah's wolves seemed to emerge from behind Billy's property.

Swiftly, Charlie pushed Sue behind him before he pulled out his gun while he backed up.

"Holy shit!" He exclaimed, gaining the attention of the three wolves as well as Paul, who still was at Nate's side. Sue reached around Charlie, putting her hand gently on his forearm in an attempt to get him to lower his gun.

"Charlie! These are the wolves, remember? They're the protectors that Billy told you about."

Charlie's heart was racing as his eyes darted from one of them to another. As though on cue, Ryan and Jonah's wolves lowered themselves down to the ground in submission and in an attempt to appear smaller than they actually were. Sam's wolf slowly backed up before darting back into the woods. Ignoring Sam's sudden departure and the two boys laying on the ground, Paul stood up and looked to Charlie.

"They wont hurt you," he said aloud. "They're concerned for Nate here."

"Concerned for Nate?" Charlie said softly, looking over to the boy who Paul was helping to his feet. "Why?"

"Nate's a part of the pack. We look after each other."

Charlie paused, allowing himself to digest what Paul had told him.

"Hold on...We? You mean, you're both like them?"

Paul nodded before Charlie slowly lowered his gun, looking back at the two wolves in front of him.

"And who are these guys?"

Paul smirked, glancing at the two smaller wolves as they perked their ears.

"Two menaces and today's pains in my ass," he said, with a chuckle.

Charlie didn't find the situation funny and Sue even made a point to sigh aloud at Paul's attempt to lighten the situation.

Paul's smile faded before he sighed. He looked over at the two wolves.

"Go phase back and meet us on the back deck," he told them. "And find out where Sam took off to. Also, let Jake know that Nate's not doing so well."

The two wolves got to their feet and quickly turned, bounding into the woods.

"I'll be fine," Nate quickly retorted, shrugging Paul's hand off his shoulder.

Paul snorted. "You're not fine. Go sit on the deck."

Hearing the defensiveness in Nate's voice, Sue quickly took Charlie by the arm.

"We'll get some water bottles," Sue said, before the pair walked back towards the back deck where Billy sat anxiously in his chair, concerned for his grandson.

"Uncle Paul, I can handle it," Nate insisted. "I've been handling it."

"Not very well by the looks of it," Paul stated, looking Nate up and down. "Did you sleep last night? When did you eat last?"

Nate scoffed.

"I don't need this," he growled, turning to pick up the ax. "You're not my father."

That gave Paul his answer. He crossed his arms, his eyes visually assessing Nate's current physical condition as he noted his obvious increasingly aggitated state. Paul glanced back at the house where he could see Sue, Charlie and Billy standing on the deck just as Jonah and Ryan walked out of the woods.

"Come on, Nate," Paul said. "Take a break. Your grandpa is concerned for you. Hell, we all are. We know this isn't easy on you."

Nate sighed and turned to Paul.

"Are you going to order me?"

"You know that I can't. But you know that if you don't get your ass to that deck, you can better believe that your Dad will make it an order."

Knowing that his uncle was right, Nate dropped the ax to the ground and growled in his chest as he walked past Paul. He grumbled something like a "fine" under his breath as he passed by. Paul followed closely behind.

When they reached the deck, Sue held out a bottle of water towards Nate who took it from her with a small smile. Although Billy wanted to question Nate on how he was, the small head shake that he recieved from Paul made him think better of it.

"Sam said that he was heading home to grab something for Nate that he thinks might help," Jonah said, as he walked over to Paul with Ryan at his side.

All the while, Charlie watched the pair, his eyes expressing his shock at discovering that they were also a part of the wolf pack.

"And Uncle Jake said that he'd be here shortly," Ryan added.

"Good," Paul said, watching his nephew as he drank through an entire bottle of water. Nate noted his uncle's stare and rolled his eyes.

"You don't have to watch my every move," he told him. "It's not like I'm going to self-combust."

Paul scoffed, not entirely certain of that fact. He looked up at Billy on the deck.

"Nate's done for the day," he told him, before looking at Ryan and Jonah. "These two will finish up the work for you, Billy."

Nate looked down at the ground, knowing that if he fought Paul's decision that Jacob would simply come around and enforce it, leaving him no choice. He hated feeling helpless and frankly, he was ashamed of it. Without a rebuttal from either Ryan or Jonah, the pair walked off side by side towards the wood pile that Nate had been working at.

"Nate," Billy said softly, gaining his grandson's attention. "Come up here and sit with us. Perhaps we can get you something to eat."

Although Nate took Billy's suggestion and sat down in an empty patio chair, he shook his head to the offer for food.

"I'm not up to eating, Grandpa," Nate said, politely.

Charlie had watched the entire exchange and could see in Nate's eyes that something wasn't right with him. Although he had been apprehensive about the entire wolf thing, his concern for Nate's well-being seemed to trump that. Charlie walked over to him and put his hand on Nate's forehead.

"You've got a super-high fever," Charlie commented with shocking concern. "Is there doctor around here that you guys trust enough with that wolf secret?"

Nate smirked and shook his head as Sue sat down across from him and passed him another bottle of water.

"Oh, that's just a wolf thing."

Charlie made a face. "Since when is running a fever, a wolf thing?"

"Charlie, the wolves natural temperature is higher than our own," Billy explained.

Charlie sat back down beside Sue, and glanced over at the two boys who were chopping wood.

"Explains why they seem to walk around half naked."

Sue smiled as she took Charlie's hand. She was relieved that he was not only talking about them but was comfortable enough to ask questions. It was a huge step in the right direction. Sue looked over at Billy who seemed to smile back at her with a relief.

"Then, what's wrong, son?" Charlie suddenly asked Nate. The smile on Billy's face quickly faded as he looked over at Nate, anticipating his explanation. A weak smile appeared on Nate's face.

"It's...it's a long story."

Charlie nodded in understanding, recognizing that it wasn't something that Nate was wanting to talk about. He could certainly relate. Before he could even consider what was going on, Jacob suddenly appeared from within the woods, dressed similarly to Paul and the two boys working out in the yard.

"What happened?"

"He overdid it," Paul explained, stepping back from Nate to allow Jacob to come closer. "The kid hasn't been eating enough."

"I can't eat," Nate corrected. "I have no appetite."

Paul sighed, his attention still on Jacob.

"He was chopping wood when he collapsed," Paul told him. "Charlie here, saw him first. We overheard the shouting and came to check it out."

Jacob looked to Charlie, seeing him sitting across from Billy. He was slightly surprised to see him at his Dad's house for the first time since the accident.

At the same time, Charlie had listened to the conversation going on around him and took note of the fact that Jacob was barefoot and wearing simple cutoffs, much like Paul was currently wearing. It was now obvious to him that Jacob was a part of the wolf pack and he wondered why it hadn't occured to him earlier. He had remembered the rapid growth spurt he had gone through as a teen and those few weeks where he avoided answering Bella's phone calls. It all made sense now. Jacob gave him a small smile.

"Yeah, I thought he was having an asthma attack," Charlie said softly. "But something tells me that he's outgrown that."

"It seems that he has," Jacob confirmed. "But I do appreciate you looking out for him."

Charlie nodded curtly. "So, uh, you're one of these wolves too then, huh?"

Once again, Jacob smiled and nodded. "Yeah, I am."

Charlie chuckled unhumorously. "I guess I shouldn't be surprised considering Lahote and his kid are both wolves. Looks like it's a family thing." He paused and looked at Billy. "Does that make you one too, old man?"

Billy chuckled and and shook his head. "Unfortunately not. In our family, it skipped my generation but I did pass down the gene that causes it to Jacob and he, to Nate. I suppose you can say that it's in our blood. I'm still just the Chief."

Charlie's face paled as a memory came to mind. The vampire, holding Billy by his neck at arms length, nearly a foot off the ground as he inhaled slowly.

'... _he is directly related to the child I'm looking for; the Alpha's firstborn and this human will tell me where he is._ '

Charlie turned his attention to Jacob, his face ashen.

"It's you," he whispered softly.

"Me, what?"

"The one who...the vampire...who killed Old Quil. It was you that he was looking for."

Upon the mention of the vampire, both Paul and Jacob moved in closer just as Charlie reached unconsciously for Sue's hand. Nate leaned in, and even the two boys who were chopping wood even paused as they had been overhearing the conversation occuring on Billy Black's deck.

"Charlie, what do you mean? How do you know?"

Charlie pinched his eyes shut before looking up at Billy.

"I remember. He was looking for someone, who was related to you. He said that he could smell it in your blood. I think it was Jake."

"What did he say?" Jacob asked.

"Something about, an Alpha's firstborn. Isn't that like the Chief?"

With those words, Jacob's eyes instantly turned to Nate.

"He wasn't talking about me," Jacob said, looking back to Charlie. "I'm the Alpha. He was coming for Nate."

"Dammit Jake," Paul cursed, clenching his fists. "The Volturi actually made a play to come for Nate and we had no frickin' idea."

Jacob ran his hands over his face.

"They have no clue that he's no longer 100% human anymore. They can't force him to come with them."

Charlie held up his hands, as he had listened to the conversation around him.

"Hold on," he exclaimed. "What the hell is a Volturi?"

"A large group of really old vampires who had a particular interest in Nate when they encountered him as a baby," Jacob replied. "They knew who he was and the potential that he had. They desired to use him as a weapon against their own enemies. It sounds like one of them finally came to look for him and tracked down the scent of his blood to Billy."

"It explains why the bastard was circling La Push," Paul stated. "He was trying to pinpoint where Nate was. I'm betting they'll try it again too."

"They won't succeed," Nate declared. "They'd have a hell of a fight on their hands."

"Not so much if you're weakened from not resting and eating properly," Paul countered. "This is serious now."

When Seth suddenly emerged from the forest, slightly out of breath, his eyes zeroed in on Nate and then to Jacob. He smiled.

"Sam has a plan to help Nate," he told them. "He thought it best if you meet him in the woods."

Seth paused and looked at the group, while Jacob nodded. With that simple nod, Nate stood up from the table and followed Paul and Jacob off the deck. Jacob gestured to Jonah and Ryan to stay behind to continue working on the wood pile before the others darted into the woods. Charlie sighed, watching as they disappeared. He turned to Billy.

"What's going on with Nate? Is the kid all right?"

Billy nodded. "He'll be fine."

* * *

Since Seth said that Sam wasn't too far within the treeline, the group walked through the woods as they followed Seth. It wasn't too long until Sam came into view from where he stood, leaning against a tree, a bag in his hand. As a gust of wind blew up towards the group, Nate suddenly paused and froze in his stance.

"Nate?" Jacob said, turning towards him. "What's wrong?"

He inhaled.

"Liz," he replied softly. "She's here."

The others looked around, not seeing nor sensing the young woman who's scent they had come to recognize as an unofficial member of the pack.

"You sure? I don't see or hear her anywhere," Paul said, before looking back at Nate. "She's supposed to be at school."

Sam walked towards them, a crooked smile on his face as he dug into the bag and pulled out a hooded sweater.

"This is Liz's," Sam told him, holding out the sweater towards him.

Nate took a tentative step back, feeling awkward that he was attracted to the scent. At the same time, he wanted nothing more than to drown himself in it. It was an odd sensation and one that made him more than a little self-conscious. Being slave to something that seemed so petty felt almost ridiculous. Nate could feel his wolf sigh at just getting the chance to be close to something of hers.

Paul on the otherhand wasn't impressed with Sam's actions.

"What the hell are you doing!? Are you trying to make this harder on him?" Paul exclaimed, instantly defensive on behalf of his nephew.

Sam scowled.

"I'm trying to help the kid out," he growled at Paul. "I'm not keen on Nate imprinting on my daughter, but I'm not going to sit back and let him suffer for it. He respected my wishes and stayed away for the past two days. This is the least that I can do."

"How is that," Nate said, gesturing to the sweater in Sam's outstretched hand, "supposed to help?"

"Here, take it," Sam told him, tossing it to him. Nate caught ahold of the fabric, afraid to let something carrying so precious fall to the ground. He looked up at Sam, seeing his expression of anticipation.

"What am I supposed to do?"

Sam chuckled. "Smell the damn thing," he replied simply.

Upon seeing Nate smirk as he scoffed, Sam rolled his eyes.

"Come on. Just try it. It might help." Nate looked to Jacob, who seemed hopeful and at the same time, appeared to be considering it as being a possible short-term solution.

"It would make sense," Paul considered. "The wolf derives on scent so much that being close to something belonging to an imprint can calm it down."

Jacob looked at Paul who simply shrugged. He turned to Nate.

"Sam may be on to something," Jacob told him. "It can't hurt to try. It may not help you sleep or bring your appetite back but at least it'll relax you a bit."

With a deep breath, Nate put the sweater to his nose and inhaled. His eyes closed involuntarily as he basked in the sweet spring scent of cherry blossoms.

Paul chuckled.

"I'd have to say that it's helping."

Nate's eyes opened as he nodded.

"It does," he said, looking at the simple garment in his hands. His eyes went up to Sam and he smiled weakly. "Thanks."

"The last thing I want is for you to show up at the school today to pick up your brother and sister and scare the crap out of Liz," Sam told him.

"Similarily to what you did to Emily?" Paul asked.

Sam pursed his lips and crossed his arms. "Something like that."

* * *

Four hours later, Nate was pulling into the school parking lot. Based on the number of students coming out of the doors, it was obvious that classes had just ended. He spotted Liam running towards the familiar car before Nate got out and leaned against the driver's side door. Nate faced the school door and waited while Liam pulled his bag from his shoulder.

"Yeah! I get shotgun!" He announced, when he realized that he had beaten his sister from getting out of school first. He ceremoniously opened the passenger side door and climbed in. Upon seeing that Nate had left the keys in the ignition, he reached for the radio and turned it on before turning the knob to find a station that he enjoyed. Nate ignored his younger brother's search of the radio, as his eyes were focused on that opening and closing door.

"I thought Mom was coming to get us," Liam stated.

"Mom was busy," Nate simply replied over his shoulder. The answer seemed to satisfy his brother for a moment. Not surprisingly, Liam spoke again.

"Kids have been talking about you."

"Oh, and what were they saying?"

"That you dropped out because you were on drugs in the summer and had gone to rehab," Liam replied.

Nate snorted.

"I tell them that you're helping Grandpa and taking a DEG next year to finish off high school but they don't believe me."

Neither Liam or Sarah knew what Nate had gone through. When Nate had returned, Liam was simply happy to have his room-mate back. While he overlooked Nate's obvious growth spurt, Sarah was more curious and kept her distance. Something about the whole thing just didn't seem right to her. But both Liam and Sarah attempted to squash the rumour that their older brother was on drugs.

Nate chuckled.

"It's a GED test."

Liam went back to tuning the radio. "GED, right."

Liam continued to speak within the small car, but Nate no longer listened. His eyes were focused on the door that had just opened. Liz had walked out with two other girls whom he recognized from his classes last year. He knew that they were friends with Liz and he strained to listen to the conversation amongst the many others going on around them.

"And we have a test in biology next week," the girl with the high pony tail whom he knew as Alexa. "We just started school, I can't believe Mr. Lynch would give a test already."

"If it makes you feel any better, we've got our first algebra test on Monday," the girl beside her told her.

"Laura, everyone knows Mrs. Chopsky is retiring this year. Her class will be a breeze."

"Still, math and I don't get along," Laura admitted before looking to Liz. "How about you? Needing a study buddy for the algebra test?"

Liz smiled weakly and shrugged.

"I don't know. I'll let you know."

Alexa looked at Laura in concern before turning to Liz.

"You okay? You've been really quiet over the past two days."

Liz shrugged once again, looking at the ground ahead of her.

"I'm fine."

"Things going well with you and Kyle?"

"Never better," Liz replied. "I just haven't been sleeping well recently."

Laura smirked. "Is that a code word for 'I've overtired cause Kyle has been sleeping over'?"

Liz's head snapped up at Laura's words. "What?! No!"

Laura's smile faded. "Geeze, no need to get all ramped up. Maybe you do need sleep."

Liz sighed. "I'm sorry. I haven't been the best person to be around lately."

"Well, if you're wanting something to brighten your day, you don't have to look too far. Hot guy in the parking lot at eleven o'clock."

Liz looked up and felt her heart quicken when she recognized the face on the young man that Alexa had pointed out. The face had aged somewhat and his shoulders had widened, but she'd know it anywhere. It was Nate Black; the same boy that she had been told had involuntarily locked eyes with her a few nights ago and instantly became connected to her. The whole concept of imprinting was still new to her and as much as she tried to make sense of it, it was still strange.

She listened to her friends talk amongst themselves as they commented on everything about Nate, from his shortened haircut to his piercing eyes, including the muscles that were obviously beneath his tight white t-shirt. Liz couldn't help but feel a pang of possessiveness course through her. Just as she recognized it within her, she shrugged it off. It was around the same time as when Alexa suddenly realized that the young man they were ogling was Nate Black.

"What the hell happened to him this summer?"

"I don't care what happened," Laura said with a satisfying hum. "Summer has been good to him. I could stare at him all day."

While Nate listened, he looked down at the ground, covering his timid smile. Over the past few weeks, he had been used to over hearing such comments when he would make quick visits to Sue's diner to pick up food for the pack. It wasn't something he had been used to before the fever so to hear them now was more than a little awkward. Nate had never been the popular kid. Because of his asthma and allergies, he was never on any sports teams either. He had always been known as the Chief's grandson and although some of the older teachers respected him due to Billy's position within the tribe, the students couldn't care less. How suddenly that all changed. Even as he stood at his car, he could hear the whispers and see the flirtatious smirks that passed by him yet he paid them no attention. His focus was on a certain young woman near the entrance.

"Let's go say hi," Laura said, grabbing hold of Liz's arm on one side and Alexa on the other. While Alexa was all for the suggestion, Liz held firm in her place.

"Wait. He's probably here to pick up his siblings."

Alexa shrugged. "I only see his little brother. I don't see his sister anywhere yet. He's just standing there." She paused. "Come on Liz. It's just Nate Black. As far as I know, he doesn't bite."

Before Liz could say another word, her friends were reluctantly pulling her across the school yard towards the parking lot. Liz could feel her heart race as they came up down the sidewalk in front of the red Rabbit that Nate currently leaned against. He had his arms crossed in front of him as they approached but gracefully pushed off of it and stood up straight when they came near.

"Hey Nate," Alexa said, with a smile on her face. Her eyes quickly darted to the Rabbit. "Is this your car?"

He smiled as his eyes were on Liz, but reluctantly pulled them away to glance over at Alexa.

"Uh, yeah," he replied, looking back over at Liz. "Well, actually it's my Dad's but he's given it to me to use."

While Liz had yet to make eye contact with Nate, Alexa ran her hand over the front hood. "It seems like it's a classic."

"Yeah, it is." He answered before he shrugged and chuckled. "But please don't ask me anything about it. I don't know much about cars."

"Oh, I'm sure you know enough," Alexa said with a smirk and a click of her tongue. "You look like a guy who works well with his hands."

Laura coughed, recognizing Alexa's blatant sexual innuendo. Liz even looked over at Alexa, an expression of shock on her face at her friend being so forward. She felt embarrassed for her and she was also curious to know what Nate was going to say. It was then that she finally looked up at Nate, surprised to see his eyes on her.

A smile grew on his face when her eyes locked onto his own. It was only for a fraction of a second, but for Nate, it was enough.

He looked back over at Alexa and shrugged. "Well, if you count chopping wood all summer long."

While Alexa and the Laura chuckled at Nate's reply and obvious naivety to her attempt at flirting with him, Liz couldn't help but watch him. The boy that fell in the mud with her just a short month ago was still there in the smile and in the eyes. His mannerisms were the same although he seemed slightly more confident than he had been before the change. His laugh hadn't changed; it still was contagious and brought a smile to her face. For some reason, she felt a yearning to have his attention once again and couldn't help but feel a pang of jealousy as Alexa and Laura continued to speak to him.

Behind him, Sarah suddenly arrived and climbed into the backseat, seeming all too eager to leave the school grounds. Hearing his sister arrive, Nate opened the door to climb in. Feeling the desire to at least say something to him, Liz quickly spoke before he ducked into the car.

"Will you be at the bonfire tonight?"

All attention suddenly turned to Liz as she spoke for the first time since her and her two friends had approached Nate. A smile, unlike the ones that he had been giving to Alexa and Laura appeared on Nate's face as he held onto the open car door.

"There's a bonfire tonight?"

Liz nodded. "Dad told me that your Grandpa is having a council meeting tonight. He said that your Dad was going to be there. I thought that maybe you'd be going too."

This was the first that Nate had heard of it, but he also knew that pack business was kept on the down-low for him over the past two-days. There very well may be a bonfire planned for that evening and he hadn't been told yet.

A smile grew on his face.

"If there is one, I'll probably be there."

"Good, then I'll see you there?"

Nate nodded. "Of course. We wont be having too many more of them this year if the weather suddenly gets colder."

"Come on, Nate. You'll see her tonight," Sarah interrupted from the backseat. "Let's go."

He rolled his eyes at Sarah's rudeness before looking back over at Liz.

"I'll see you tonight," he told her.

Although she didn't smile, she nodded before she stepped back and watched the Rabbit pull out of the school lot. Laura leaned over towards Liz.

"Someone seems to have eyes for you," she told her.

"Unfortunately," Alexa added, grimly. "I can't believe you were stringing him along like that."

"Like what?" Liz asked.

"I thought you and Kyle were going out tonight to Port Angeles to celebrate him getting accepted into South Carolina University."

Liz sighed. "We are. There's just something I need to do before we go out."

It was the reason behind Liz feeling horrible for the past day and a half. When Sam had encouraged her to come to the bonfire to learn more about their history, she had agreed to come. She didn't tell him that she wouldn't be staying long. She'd be staying just long enough to somehow let Nate down easy.

But every time she envisioned herself trying to tell him that it would never work out between them and that she was in love with someone else, she felt sick to her stomach. Even as she watched the red car disappear down the road, she took a deep breath. After seeing the way that he looked at her, Liz had no idea how she was going to tell him that she didn't feel the same way that he obviously felt for her.

* * *

Liz paced as she looked off down the road for the familiar pick up truck. Nate and his Dad hadn't arrived at Billy's house yet and Kyle's truck was no where in sight. All she wanted to do was get this over with and get out of there before she changed her mind. Liz had fully convinced herself that this was for the best, but with each passing minute, she was beginning to doubt herself.

Emily could clearly tell that something was wrong with Liz, but as she spoke her concerns to Sam, he believed it was simply nerves. They had heard from Nate that he had spoken with her at the school and that he was excited to hear that not only were they having a bonfire, but Liz was going to be coming.

As Jacob, Jo and Nate arrived at Billy's house, they realized how wise it was that they didn't let Nate know about the bonfire. True to Jo's assumption, he had been driving them crazy as he spent nearly an hour in the bathroom only to emerge looking pretty much the same as he had when he first went in. Both Liam and Sarah teased him mercilessly, and surprisingly, Nate didn't seem to mind. His focus was on one person; Liz.

When he saw her standing near the blazing fire in the darkness, he smiled. Quickly and eagerly, he jogged up to her.

"Hey!" He said, instatnly getting her attention. "You came."

She nodded. "I said that I would."

Again, she looked out to the road.

Nate seemed to notice her anxiety.

"Are you okay?"

She nodded, before she shook her head. As much as she didn't want to do this, she wanted to get it over with.

' _Rip off the bandaid, Liz,_ ' she told herself.

While Billy seemed to be gathering everyone around the bonfire to sit down, she spoke softly to Nate.

"Could I talk to you for a second?" She paused, and looked at the group. Based on what she knew, a good majority of the people present were members of the pack and undoubtedly would be able to hear whether they stood two or ten feet away. Either way, she wanted privacy for what she was about to do.

"Uh, yeah, sure," Nate said, glancing over at Jacob.

"You've got two minutes," he said softly, knowing his son would hear him.

Hearing this, he walked off and away from the bonfire with Liz at his side.

As they walked in the darkness, he wanted to say something but at the same time, he wanted her to speak first. The wolf was so happy to see her again and be near her that Nate could feel the inner excited agitation.

To Liz's relief, she heard an engine come up the road before she saw Kyle's white pick up. Nate looked up, also hearing it and his smile faded.

"What is he doing here?" Nate growled, glaring at the truck.

"That's what I want to talk to you about," Liz begun, suddenly feeling as though her throat was about to close on her.

She stopped walking and took a deep breath.

"You know how I told you the plans that Kyle and I had made regarding college," she reminded him, as Nate nodded slowly. "I'm sorry, Nate but they haven't changed."

Nate blinked, his face paling.

"What? What do you mean?"

Liz pinched her eyes shut, willing to stop the tears that threatened to fall.

"I know that you imprinted on me...but you can't."

"I can't? Liz, I already have. It's not something I can just take back."

Nate's voice volume escalated while Liz shook her head.

"Nate, I'm sorry," she gasped. "But you have to."

Nate took a step back and ran his hands through his hair. "Liz, you don't understand. I forced myself to stay away from you these past two days and it was hell."

Liz shook her head and looked up at him, tears in her eyes.

"Nate don't make this harder than it is."

"Then don't do this." Nate begged, looking at the pick up sitting along the road forty feet from where they spoke in the darkness. "I need to be near you. I need you."

Liz swallowed, feeling the edge of that hypothetical bandaid and pulled.

"But I don't need you."

Nate felt a sharp pain pull into his chest. "You don't mean that."

"I'm in love with Kyle," she told him plainly, hoping she sounded as convincing as her head wanted it to be. It was the truth. She cared a lot for him. It was obviously enough to cause another person pain.

"Liz, please," Nate begged softly, tears starting to come down his cheek.

Without a word, she turned and walked towards the truck. Each step felt as though she were trudging through knee high mud. It was becoming a conscious effort to walk away and Liz couldn't believe how difficult it was. Liz looked at the truck ahead of her, wanting her feet to move faster, but all she could feel was a dull ache as she went. With a deep breath, she rubbed her cheeks with her hands, instantly removing the tears that had snuck from her eyes.

She didn't dare look back.

It wasn't until she climbed into the truck, her face illuminated by the light that she stole a quick glance back. To her surprise, Nate was no where to be seen. The figures by the bonfire were standing and were no doubt listening to the conversation. Liz quickly tore her eyes from them.

"You okay?" Kyle asked.

Liz smiled and nodded.

"Let's get out of here. Don't we have reservations in Port Angeles?"

Kyle smiled weakly, knowing that something wasn't right. Still, he nodded.

As the white pick up drove off down the road, Nate walked past the group standing around the bonfire. Looks of sympathy were on every face and he couldn't bring himself to look at anyone.

"Nate..." Jo began, before Jacob quickly shook his head.

"Let him go," he said solemnly, watching his son make his way alone into the woods.

The moment that he knew that he was truly alone, he broke down. The tree in front of him became his object of focus and he graciously punched it with his fist, splinters of wood flying around him as he growled. As angry as he was, anguish rocked his body as he sobbed.

Taking a deep breath, he began to run into the woods, pushing his legs faster and harder before anger overtook him and he phased in mid-stride, his clothing shredding instantly. Nate didn't know where he was going, but he had to get away.


	28. Chapter 28

Nate ran, his mind a jumbled mess as various emotions swirled within him; fear, anguish, anger, humiliation. As he made his way further into the woods and up into the higher elevations, he ignored the voices of those on patrol that begged him to come back. Nate wanted to get away from it all. He didn't want anyone's sympathies. Nate just wanted to be alone. Desperate for solitude, he quickly phased back and panted, completely spent both physically and emotionally. To his surprise, he could see his breath. Nate stood up straight and looked around, finding himself standing near the edge of a cliff high up on Mount Rainier.

The night sky was quite clear and he could see the lights of Seattle illuminating against the clouds in the distance. The part that resonated most with him was the silence. He could only hear the sound of his own breathing. It was peaceful and he found tha the could finally think. He was alone for nearly an hour before his nose caught the scent of someone familiar.

"I'm not going to jump if that's what you're thinking," Nate said aloud from where he sat at the edge of the snowcapped cliff.

"It's not," Leah replied, walking up behind him. "Besides, that fall wouldn't kill you. Believe me."

Nate didn't turn, after all, he was sitting naked in the snow with his Mom's cousin just a handful of feet away. He did turn his head to the side to acknowledge what she had just told him. Nate had no clue that Leah had considered ending her life at one point and to hear her verbalized it shocked him.

"I was in a pretty dark place once," she admitted softly. "Took me a while to get out of it. My mom and Seth, and then your Mom and Dad really helped me pull me back from that edge."

Nate nodded and sighed.

"Are you going to tell me that you know how I feel?"

"I wasn't planning on it. I've never imprinted so I don't know the feeling, but there a few that do."

"You can't make me go back..."

"I know," she quickly told him. "And before you ask, no one sent me. I was on patrol and saw what happened. Everyone is worried about you."

"I don't need your pity," Nate snapped.

Leah snorted. "I didn't come for that either."

"Then, what are you here for?"

"I brought you these," she said, throwing a pair of shorts at Nate. They hit him in the back of the head, causing him to look at the ground at what she had given to him. As he turned to pick them up, Leah turned her back. Taking the cue, Nate stood up and pulled them on.

"Thought you might need them when you go after your imprint."

She gave him a few moments before she turned back around.

"I've seen you naked before, considering I changed your diapers on many occasions, but I doubt that you showing up in your birthday suit would go over well with her."

Nate scowled.

"You saw what happened," Nate exclaimed, looking at Leah. "She pretty much told me to take back the imprint; like I could even do that."

Leah nodded. "I am a little surprised that you're giving up so easily."

Nate scoffed and put his hands on his head as he sighed exasperatingly, feeling his frustration build once again.

"What am I supposed to do?! I laid it all out in front of her about how I feel and she just...she just didn't care. All that crap about how imprinting is supposed to take two people who have some sort of devine connection and somehow bring them together is total crap. Here I thought that the connection goes both ways, but I guess I was wrong about that. According to her, she's madly in love with Kyle Hanson and she doesn't need me. There's nothing I can do about that!"

"Have you ever considered that she's probably still a little freaked out about all of this? She's known about this craziness for what? Two days? The girl is simply gravitating to what she's comfortable and used to and right now, that's her boyfriend. You have had over two weeks to come to grips with all that's happened around you before you imprinted. And even then, you were already familiar with the concept through the minds of the others in the pack who had experienced it."

Nate didn't respond but merely turned and stared back out at the dark horizon. Leah walked up beside him and crossed her arms in front of her.

"Look," she began, "I know that I'm not the best person to talk to when it comes to imprinting. I've never had first-hand knowledge about what it's like and frankly, it kinda ruined my life there for a bit. But one thing I do know is that you're a Clearwater and we're a strong bunch and we don't quit."

"I'm only half Clearwater."

Leah rolled her eyes.

"Work with me here," she pleaded to him, causing Nate to sigh. "Yeah, Liz told you that she was in love with someone else but from what I've seen and experienced, imprinting trumps that. You've got one up on this guy. Two, if you count the fact that you and Liz have known each other for your entire lives. You need to make her realize that you're not expecting her to suddenly fall madly in love with you right off the bat."

Nate snorted. "All the while she's with someone else? I don't want her to push me away any more than she already has."

She looked at her cousin's son and smiled weakly.

"Nate, I love you as if you were my own kid," Leah told him. "I don't want you to become like me; a bitter person who will never find their match because they're too afraid of being hurt again. Don't give up on this gift that you have been given."

Nate looked down at the snow beneath his feet before glancing over the cliff in front of him.

"I don't know what I should do," Nate said. "I don't want to say the wrong thing to her now and burn any bridges that we might have left."

Leah shrugged. "Just be there for her. Be a friend to her. As hard as it is, support her relationship with this other guy."

Nate rolled his eyes and scoffed.

"Aunt Lee, I can't do that! What if our relationship never moves past anything more than friendship? Liz is wanting to go out east to university with her boyfriend next year. I can't even stomach the thought of her leaving La Push, let alone move into an apartment with that guy. What if she suddenly decides to marry him!?"

"Whoa, whoa! How did we get to talking about marriage?!" Leah exclaimed. "I was just talking about not coming between her and this, Kyle."

"She's told me her plans; going across the country with this guy is pretty serious. I wouldn't doubt that they'd get married one day. I couldn't handle that."

Leah let out an exasperated sigh and mumbled something about not understanding Uley's under her breath.

"I really do doubt that Sam and Emily would agree to letting her go across the country with this guy, especailly if they know that you imprinted on her."

She paused as she considered whether she should say anything more to Nate. With an internal 'screw it', she spoke again.

"I know that Sam didn't say it to you, but I saw a flash of it in his mind yesterday," she began. "Knowing that it was his only daughter that you imprinted on, he's unlikely to say anything anytime soon to you. But I thought you should know that he's pleased that it was you that the Spirits chose to protect Liz."

Nate turned to her.

"Really?"

Leah shrugged and winced. "Actually, considering it's between you and a pale face, to him you're the obvious choice."

Nate smirked before he took a deep breath and looked out on the horizon. Leah watched his face before smiling.

"So, are you going to track her down or what?"

"I don't need to," he replied. "I know exactly where she went - Port Angeles."

Leah snorted. "I'm surprised that you didn't go that way when you decided to run. Port Angeles is a good 160 miles from here in the opposite direction.

Nate pinched his eyes shut, hearing the vast distance currently between himself and his imprint. It might as well had been 1000 miles.

"I know," he ground out between his teeth. "But I needed to think; clear my head. I also didn't want to take out my anger on her boyfriend."

Leah smirked and nodded.

"Smart thinking," she said.

"Well, I'll leave you to do more thinking before you finally find the guts to come back and talk to her again. Just remember what I said - be a friend to her."

With a final smile, she turned and headed back towards the treeline.

"Aunt Lee!" Nate called out from where he stood by the cliff.

Leah paused and turned around, upon hearing the nickname that he had adopted for her back when he first began to speak.

"Thank you."

Leah smirked. "No problem."

While Nate turned back and stared out at the darkness and a looming rainstorm coming up the Cascade range, he could feel the tingling of magic behind him as Leah phased and ultimately headed back towards La Push. He stood there, listening to the wind blowing up the side of the cliff. With a sigh, he unfastened the button on his shorts before pulling them down and tying them to his ankle. With a crack of his neck, he felt the strange ripples beneath his skin as his body elongated and the muscles expanded.

Moments later, he shook out the rain in his fur that had begun to fall before racing down the mountain. 160 miles suddenly didn't seem so far away.

* * *

When Liz had arrived at the restaurant that Kyle had made reservations for, she was surprised at the elegance. She soon discovered that she was extremely under-dressed. Her first clue should had been the fact that he had been dressed in a button down shirt and tie with slim khaki pants. Liz's mind had been so chaotic over the past few days that she was lucky enough to even be wearing matching shoes. Kyle had told her repeatedly that she looked fine while she quickly braided her hair back to make herself look more presentatable for a restaurant of a higher calibre.

While she hadn't been paying attention to what she had been wearing, she was very attentive to Kyle's actions. Every gesture that Kyle had made towards her was catalogued in her brain; his hand on the small of her back as they walked up the steps, his leaning in to kiss her cheek before he opened the door for her, and then his hand slipping into hers as they were escorted to their reserved table. Everything felt strange. Gestures that only two days ago made her heart flutter now felt foreign and slightly repulsive.

Kyle seemed to notice her unease and assumed it was her discomfort from being less formal than the rest of the people in the upscale restaurant. He even suggested that they could go elsewhere, just for her own benefit. Liz quickly shook her head, and smiled, downplaying her self-consciousness while she thanked him for the thought. She told him that she had been excited to celebrate him being admitted into University.

All throughout the meal, while Kyle spoke between bites of his thirty-five dollar filet mignon, Liz had to mentally curse herself for allowing her thoughts to drift back towards the young man whose heart she knew was hurting. If she had ben honest with herself, she was in pain as well. Telling Nate that she didn't need him tore at her inside. Liz hated herself for saying those words. But she knew that even if she decided to remain friends, as her Mom had suggested, she knew that it would be only a matter of time before she would want more. She could feel those feelings beginning to tug at her even as she sat across from Kyle. Liz couldn't get Nate's face out of her head no matter how hard she tried. Liz did her best to focus on what Kyle was telling her, hearing him speak about the classes he'd be taking when he started after the new year. For a while, Liz couldn't help but stare into the flickering candle separating herself and Kyle at the small table before she heard another voice.

 _'I need you.'_

Liz blinked, looking around herself as she was certain that she had just heard Nate whisper into her ear.

"Liz? Did you even hear me?" Kyle asked, his face visibly concerned as he watched her confused expression.

Liz sat up straight and smiled sheepishly before taking a sip of water from her cup.

"I'm sorry," she said. "I must have zoned out there for a moment."

Kyle smiled and sighed.

"I was just saying that since I start class on January 6th, we have roughly three months and a bit to find a place to stay. I know how you like the more historic parts of a town, so I thought we could look in that area and see if there is anything that would fit our budget."

"Isn't that a little premature? I wont be applying to University until the spring. I can't guarantee that I'll be accepted into the nursing program there."

Kyle leaned forward and took her hands within his own with a broad smile on his face.

"Liz, babe, you are so smart. You'll get into the nursing program, no question."

"It's not only that," she reminded him with a smile of her own as he let go of her hands. "We still have to convince my parents to let me go to school across the country. They're wanting me to stay closer to home."

Somehow, knowing about this imprint, she figured it was suddenly going to be a lot more difficult to do that.

Kyle shrugged.

"We'll come up with something," he said with a smirk. "They weren't too keen on you dating me at first, but they've warmed up to me over time."

While Kyle picked up his knife and fork and went back to cutting the steak that was on his plate, Liz smiled weakly and watched him. Kyle was right about one thing. Sam and Emily were never keen on her dating Kyle, but she refused to listen to their opinions and based their judgement on the fact that he wasn't Quileute. Liz had been angry with her parents when they didn't support her decision. It didn't help when Sam suggested some other boys around the reservation and those he knew from Forks. Although Nate was never in that group of suggestions given that he was more of a brother to her than any perspective boyfriend, she knew that her Dad wouldn't have had any issue with Nate as he had with Kyle. Liz had seen the amused smile on Sam's face when her and Nate had walked up to the house earlier that summer, covered in mud. He regarded Nate with more esteem than her own boyfriend and that bothered her.

When her mind's eye brought up Nate's smiling face, from the day that they had walked up to her house covered in mud, she could feel her heart skip a beat. With a sigh, Liz chastised herself inwardly.

"Isn't it any good?" Kyle suddenly asked.

"I'm sorry?"

"Your food," Kyle added, gesturing to the plate in front of her. "Isn't it good?"

Liz nodded. "Oh, it's fine."

Kyle smirked, not entirely believing what she was telling him.

"You haven't eaten more than ten bites."

She sighed. "I must have a lot on my mind."

Kyle smirked.

"I can tell," he told her. "You've been distracted all night."

"I'm sorry," Liz told him. "This is supposed to be in celebration of your acceptance into University and my mind is completely elsewhere."

She sat up straight and smiled at him. "But I promise you for the rest of the evening, you are my one and only focus."

Kyle smiled back at her and nodded.

Liz did her best to keep her word. She kept the conversation going between herself and Kyle throughout the rest of dinner, genuinely wanting to know more about this school that he had been accepted to. Whenever Kyle would question about how things were going on at home with Talon, she quickly deflected them, not wanting the conversation and ultimately her thoughts to somehow drift back to Nate. If Kyle noticed, he didn't say anything.

While Kyle paid the bill, Liz looked down at her phone for the first time since she had left the bonfire. Numerous calls, mainly from her Mom and Dad had shown up on the screen. As she scrolled down, she found that Talon had called twice. Although she didn't want to check, subconsciously she was disappointed to find that there were none from Nate.

She sucked in a breath, feeling her chest clench slightly when Kyle put his hand on her back once again and leaned in to peck her lips. Liz quickly pocketed the phone and headed outside with Kyle at her side. Always the gentleman, he opened the passenger side door to his pickup and waited for her to climb in before closing it behind her. With a sigh, Liz watched as Kyle rushed around to the driver's side door.

Liz was upset with herself for being so distracted that evening. She couldn't help think about Nate and be more than a little concerned for him. She knew it wasn't fair to Kyle. Frustrated, she decided to redeem herself.

"I have an idea," Liz began the moment Kyle got into the pickup.

Kyle turned in his seat, intrigued.

"Why don't we stop at Crescent Lake on the way back and go for a walk on East Beach."

Kyle's smile faltered before he chuckled.

"Liz, it's like eleven o'clock at night," he said, looking at his watch as he spoke. "It'll be pitch black there."

She slid in closer to him and took his hand, ignoring the involuntary shudder that crawled over her skin. Liz was determined to overcome the affects of this imprint or curse; she wasn't certain which it was at this point. She didn't want to hurt Kyle over it.

Liz shrugged. "I thought it might be fun."

The smile quickly returned to Kyle's face before he put the pickup into gear.

* * *

Nate stopped running as he came towards the Port Angeles city limits. For a moment, he could feel himself begin to panic when he realized the wolf was unable to figure out where her scent had gone. Instinctively, he paused as he sensed that pull that he felt on Mount Rainier once again. Strangely, it was no longer tugging him to go towards Port Angeles and that not only confused Nate, but worried him.

Where had she gone?

Within the darkness of the trees, he looked back up the highway that led back to Forks and ultimately La Push. With a short huff, he raced once again alongside the road, keeping within the shadows. It wasn't until he came up to Crescent Lake that he paused.

Liz was nearby. Her scent was barely noticeable but Nate's nose easily detected it.

Slowly, Nate moved between the trees towards the beach. Liz's scent became stronger before he heard her laugh. It wasn't all he heard.

"It's nice to hear you laugh," Kyle said, as he reclined in the sand near the water.

He looked over at Liz who was barefoot, walking along the ankle-deep waves that softly moved onto the shore. She had rolled the cuffs of her jeans up to her knees and had tossed her shoes into the sand. Liz turned and looked out at the lake. In the distance, an owl hooted while crickets chirped along the banks. It was a quiet night.

"We need to do something crazy," she suddenly said, turning in the water.

Not only was she determined to enjoyed her time with Kyle, but she also needed to get Nate out of her head.

Kyle chuckled. "Crazy? Like what?"

Liz shrugged, looking up at the dark sky above them. "I don't know. Like...skinny dipping."

Again, Kyle laughed. "You're not serious, are you?"

"Why not?"

With a sigh, Kyle stood up and walked towards her. Still having his shoes on, he ensured he was far enough from the waves that he wouldn't get wet.

"Liz, babe, that water is freezing," he said with a nervous laugh.

"So? It would be fun."

"Fun?"

Kyle wasn't all convinced of that. He shoved his hands into his pockets.

"What's going on? This isn't like you to be so impulsive."

Liz walked out of the water and stood on her tiptoes, before brushing Kyle's hair back from his face.

"So? I just want to make it up to you somehow for being so distracted tonight," she told him.

Kyle smiled. "I had a wonderful time tonight. Don't think that I didn't enjoy spending the evening with you just because your head was elsewhere. What matters is that I had you all to myself."

While Liz smiled back at him, Kyle brought his hands around her back, pulling her closer to him. She nodded.

"I had a great time tonight," she said softly.

With a smirk, Kyle brushed his fingers against her cheek.

"I think I can help make it even better," he whispered before he leaned in to kiss her.

As much as she would admit that in the past Kyle could make her toes curl with his kiss, now she couldn't help but feel a little repulsed. Determined to push through the odd sensation, Liz became a little more bold. Slightly frustrated with it all, she brought her hands into his hair, brushing her fingers through it. Within her mind's eye, the blond hair suddenly became black. It didn't register with her that she was daydreaming that Kyle was someone else until she suddenly heard Nate's voice in her head speaking her name in a husky tone. As though a memory suddenly flashed before her eyes of him kissing her, Liz gasped and quickly backed away from Ryan from where they stood on the beach.

"Whoa! What's wrong? Did I do something wrong?"

Liz put her hand to her forehead, in utter disbelief at what was happening to her. She looked over at Kyle who looked on in concern while she had to reassure herself that it was Kyle whom she had been kissing. Yet for some reason, her mind rebelled and had been imagining that it was Nate.

Frustrated with herself, she took a step back towards Kyle and grabbed ahold of his collar before bringing her mouth roughly back onto his. Her arms snaked around his neck, pulling herself even closer to him. Kyle certainly didn't find the sudden change in Liz's behaviour unwelcomed. He moaned into her mouth as his fingers teased the skin that was barely shown above her jeans. Slowly, he began to kiss down her neck.

"Oh god, I love you, Liz," Kyle murmured as he laid a trail down her neck. "You are so frickin' gorgeous. But I think...I think we should go back to the truck."

Liz couldn't reply but nodded silently. She moaned with her eyes closed as she enjoyed the sensations, as awkward as they seemed to her. But she couldn't say no.

In the woods, the wolf paced, feeling more and more aggitated as time went on. When he overheard the words exchanged during the passionate embrass on the beach Nate growled and snarled, anger fueling his increasing rage while eyes watch the pair as they barely moved apart before making their way to the truck. He took every inch of his self-control to prevent himself from leaping out of the bush and riping Kyle apart. Hearing Leah's suggestion to be there for Liz and to support her, he managed to calm down...slightly. It was enough to keep him from coming out from doing something he would regret.

While he glared at the couple climbing into the truck, he could hear Leah's repetitive thoughts through the pack mind reminding him constantly of her words that he was only a friend. Quil was also on patrol with her, but he kept quiet. He sympathized as he sensed how livid Nate was to be witnessing his own imprint being with someone else.

Nate continued to growl deeply in his throat, desperate to leave the area if only to forgo the pain of hearing the pair in the pickup. At the same time, the imprint demanded that he stay nearby. He was in hell.

When suddenly, a soft moan suddenly spoke his name, he paused. The wolf calmed slightly at hearing his imprint call out to him in a tone that Nate had only daydreamed about.

Based on the sudden conversation going on in the truck, Kyle wasn't impressed.

Kyle paused and looked down at Liz, her face still flushed and her lips swollen. Her eyes opened when she realized that something happened. She brushed her hand over the side of his face, to which Kyle quickly grabbed and pulled away from before he sat up.

"What's wrong?"

Kyle stared at her as though she were joking.

"Liz, you just called me 'Nate'."

"I did?"

Kyle nodded."What the hell is going on?"

Liz sat up beside Kyle, and put her hand to her head, as she tried to figure that same thing out herself. Knowing that the mood was certainly over, Liz picked up her shirt, thankful that they hadn't gone far enough to remove her bra or her pants. Having sex for the first time in the cab of a pickup wasn't part of her plan. Then again, she never planned on calling out Nate's name while making out with Kyle either.

"There's something going on between you two, isn't there. Is that why you've been distracted all night?"

"No!" She quickly replied, knowing instinctively that information about imprinting and the wolf pack was strictly off limits to anyone outside of the tribe. "It's just that there's been something happening back home and I've got a lot on my mind right now. There is absolutely nothing going on between myself and Nate. He and I are just friends."

Kyle scoffed and looked through the foggy window towards the lake and shook his head.

"I've seen the way that he looks at you. I can tell that he's interested in you." He paused and looked at Liz. "Based on your little name slip up, I'm guessing that you have feelings for him too, huh?"

Liz scoffed.

"For the last time, there isn't anything going on between me and Nate!" She exclaimed, her tone rising.

Kyle quickly turned to her.

"Then tell me that you don't love him!"

Liz paused. As much as she forced herself to speak the words, she simply couldn't. Tears came to her eyes when she realized it and she looked down at her lap.

Kyle scoffed and shook his head. "I should have known."

"Kyle, you know that he's one of my oldest friends. Of course I care a lot for him."

"Enough to moan his name while I'm kissing you!?" He shouted before he scoffed. "Give me a break, Liz. Admit it! You love him!"

"I...I...don't!" Liz shouted back at Kyle, forcing the words out of her mouth that just didn't want to come out.

He turned in his seat to face her, anger portrayed on his face.

"Then prove it!"

Liz froze, uncertain of how to prove such a thing to Kyle. When she hesitated, Kyle rolled his eyes and quickly grabbed her arms within his hands and pulled her towards him before he kissed her. Liz protested against his lips and struggled with her confined hands within the small pickup cab.

"Kyle! Let me go," she mumbled against his lips, feeling his tongue trying to push its way into her mouth as she spoke. For the first time since she had met him, Liz felt genuinely afraid for the situation she was suddenly thrust into. She wiggled and squirmed in her seat, desperate to free her arms or at least move her legs so she could use them to push back against his body.

It quickly turned out that she didn't have to do anything.

She heard the door behind him suddenly open, followed by her being pulled face first onto the drivers seat as Kyle was physically yanked out of the pickup by the back of his shirt collar. Confused, Liz lifted her head to see Kyle laying ten feet away on the gravel parking lot. Slowly, he pulled himself to his feet.

"What the hell is your problem!? I'll have you arrested for assault!" Kyle shouted out maniacally, as Liz sat up in the seat. Slightly confused, she pushed her hair from her face and looked towards where Kyle was directing his accusation. That's when she saw him.

Nate stood near the side of the driver's side of the truck, his fists clenched tightly as his arms trembled at his side.

"If you ever touch her against her will again, I'll kill you," Nate's voice snarled.

Fearful for Kyle's safety, she quickly scrambled from her seat. Liz crawled out of the open drivers side door and barely glanced at Nate before making her way over to Kyle to help him up. She offered her hand to him but he simply shrugged it off.

"Why am I not surprised?" Kyle drawled, pulling himself up to stand as he glared at Liz and then at Nate. "Not only are you a pathological lier but you're also a certifiable stalker! Did you follow us here? Enjoy our little display in the pickup, did you?"

Upon hearing the low growl come from behind her, Liz quickly turned, meeting Nate's eyes for the first time.

All she had known about the wolf pack was that she had been warned by her Dad is that Talon's anger is what would set him off to phase into a wolf. Knowing this and the obvious anger that Nate portrayed in his stance and face, she became not only concerned for Kyle's safety but for the secret that Nate possessed and could potentially reveal if he didn't calm down. Kyle's words were certainly not helping matters.

Liz quickly turned back to Kyle.

"Kyle, just... shut up!" Liz suddenly exclaimed. "You're not helping here!"

Kyle feigned choking as he glanced at Nate, seeing his arms as they trembled at his sides and then back at Liz.

"Are you fucking kidding me!? The guy just physically pulled me out of my frickin' truck and you're telling me to shut up!?"

"In his defence, you were being jerk."

Kyle put his hands on his hips and stepped up towards Liz, who stood barefoot in front of him. Although she was a good 6 inches shorter than him, that tenacious Uley personality was surely keeping her place. Still, Nate moved in closer, the wolf concerned about Kyle's proximity to her given the circumstances.

"Oh, I'm the jerk? How about you ask your little native boyfriend here about how he fakes having all those damned allergies." He paused and looked up at Nate as he approached. "I don't know if you do it for attention or if you have some sort of mental instability."

"I'd watch that mouth of yours if I were you," Nate warned, stepping up behind Liz where she stood in front of Kyle.

As much as the wolf wanted to challenge him, Nate knew that as long as Liz was between him and Kyle, he wouldn't do anything.

"Yeah?" Kyle scoffed. "I can say whatever I fucking want to say. I'm going to go to Forks police department to have your sorry ass arrested."

Nate smirked darkly. "Good luck with that one."

Between Nate and Kyle, neither were helping the situation. Although Kyle wouldn't listen to her, somehow she knew that Nate would be more receptive. If they were going to get out of the altercation without the beach turning into a full-out brawl that may result in Kyle learning more than desired about the Quileute people, she was going to have to take care of this. Liz quickly turned and glared at Nate.

"Nate, back off," she told him sternly, looking up at his face.

He glared at Kyle for a moment more before tearing his eyes away from the guy and looked down at Liz. His eyes softened slightly upon hearing her request. Nate had no intention of obeying what she asked, after all the guy in front of her had just moments ago forced himself on her. But after looking at her face and hearing her add a soft, 'please', he relented.

With a deep sigh, he backed up a few steps, his fists remaining tightly clenched at his side.

When Liz turned back to Kyle, she found a satisfied smirk gracing his face.

"Liz, I always knew that guy was bad news," he said softly, before Liz shook her head, not wanting to even entertain his opinion.

"You have some nerve!" She exclaimed, surprising Kyle. "You really think that he fakes his allergies?! You can't fake gasping for a breath because your throat is closing in on itself!"

Kyle snorted.

"You seriously don't believe me, do you," Kyle stated rather than asked. "Did you know that he ate cookies a few weeks back at that soccer game? They were made with an ingredient that should have sent him into anaphalactic shock! Guess what?! Not even a little gasp or slight struggle for a breath. The bastard is perfectly fine."

He glared over Liz's head at Nate, as he looked on in surprise before his face turned to anger. Nate wasn't the only one who was suddenly feeling livid.

"You knew that he ate something that could have potentially killed him and you said nothing!?" She shrieked.

"He was fine!"

"You didn't know that at the time!" She shouted at him. "I can't believe this! Dammit Kyle! You could have seriously hurt him! Why the hell did you do that?! Why?!"

"I can't believe you're defending this son of a bitch," Kyle said, gesturing at Nate who silently stood a few feet behind Liz, his fists clenched tightly at his side. "He's a damned lier!"

"No!" Liz shouted. "You are the son of a bitch!"

With a sigh, Kyle looked at the ground for a moment before glancing back up at Liz.

"Well then," he said softly. "I guess I know where you stand."

Liz took a deep breath as she stood firmly in front of Kyle.

Without saying another word, Kyle turned curtly and climbed into his truck before slamming the door behind him. Liz watched as the headlights came on before Kyle spun his tires in reverse. The pickup had barely stopped rolling back before he angrily lurched it into forward, kicking up more stone behind him before peeling loudly out of the dark, empty parking lot.

Liz let a rattled breath leave her chest. She had never dreamed that her evening would have ended with her and Kyle fighting to the point where he'd leave her on a beach, nearly an hour away from home. Likewise, she had no idea that Kyle would have forced himself on her just to prove a point.

Behind her, Nate stood, not entirely certain what he should do or say. He was conflicted over the fact that his intervention could have possibly destroyed Liz's relationship with Kyle. He wanted her to be happy but at the same time he was relieved that Kyle had left.

"Liz, I'm so sorry."

Liz turned and shook her head. In the darkness, Nate could see her eyes were filled with tears. She took a deep breath and sighed.

"No, I'm sorry. I'm sorry that you had to hear all that," she said quickly. She looked at him carefully, noting that his fists seemed to have relaxed and his muscles weren't trembling as they were before. "Are you...okay?"

Nate nodded. "Yeah, I'm fine."

"No, I mean, are you..." she paused, "...no longer angry?"

A small smile appeared on Nate's face as he listened to Liz try to explain what she was trying to say.

"I mean, I know that you have a tendency to...uh..change if you get angry," Liz added awkwardly, causing Nate to chuckle lightly.

"If you're talking about me going wolf, yeah, I'm good. It helps that your boyfriend is gone."

Liz let out an aggrevated groan. "I can't believe..."

Liz paused, swallowing as she digested what she was going to say. "I can't believe that jackass sunk so low as to try to hurt you. I don't know what the hell he was thinking. Nate, I'm so sorry."

Nate put his hands in his pockets and shrugged.

"He was probably thinking that I was competition for him. I really didn't make it easy for him to trust me."

Liz scoffed.

"That doesn't matter. Nate, he could have put you in the hospital!" She paused as she considered her words. "He could have killed you."

Nate shook his head.

"Well, I guess I should be glad that this gene that makes me like this," he paused, gesturing to his bare chest that undoubtedly had become more muscular in the past few weeks, "also seemed to have made my allergies and asthma a thing of the past."

"Still," Liz said walking past him towards the sandy beach, "that doesn't excuse him for what he had done. I don't know how I'd be able to forgive him."

"I'm more concerned over the fact that he forced himself on you," Nate said, following behind her.

When Liz found her shoes on the beach, she smacked them together to get the sand out of them. She shook her head.

"He's never done anything like that before," she said, wiping her nose with the back of her hand. "I never thought I'd be in that situation. I thought that I could trust him."

"Are you okay?"

She chuckled unhumorously and turned to Nate. "Can we keep what happened tonight, between the two of us? As much of a jerk that Kyle was, I really don't want either my Dad or Talon to go threaten him."

Nate growled in his chest. "He can't get away with what he did to you."

"Look, Nate, I know that your reaction is based on this imprint that we have between us..." she told him.

"No! It's more than that," Nate exclaimed, cutting her off. "What Kyle did to you is inexcusable. No man should ever put their hands on you without your consent."

Liz sighed, looking at Nate's face.

"Liz, the imprint just makes me all the more concerned for you. Your safety is my biggest focus and knowing that it happened and that I was unable to stop it, makes me sick to my stomach."

"This wasn't your fault," she said. "And I hate that this imprint makes you think that you're responsible for my safety. You should have the choice."

Nate nodded.

"You're absolutely right. I should have the choice."

His words surprised Liz who suddenly felt a small pang in her chest.

"But I'm glad that this one was made for me, because honestly, I don't think I would've ever had the guts to tell you how much I care about you," Nate told her, smiling, before it faltered.

He watched as Liz looked down at the ground between them before he continued, his voice softer.

"But Liz, please don't push me away. As strong as I am, I doubt that I could handle it again. I'm happy to remain as friends, if that is what you want."

A part of Liz was surprised to hear Nate's suggestion. For some reason, she assumed that he would be wanting to be more than that. But friendship was all that he was looking for, Liz certainly could accomadate that.

"If we're being honest here, the reason behind what I said to you back at your grandfather's place was because of Kyle. We had plans; he's going to college, we were planning on moving out there together. Knowing the relationship I had with him, I couldn't throw all that away for something that seemed so strange and unsure."

She snorted.

"But now...after what he did...what I discovered, I don't know if I could ever trust him again." Liz paused and ran her hand through her hair. "Hell, I don't even know if I could get back together with him now. He isn't the same person that I thought he was."

Nate crossed his arms and nodded in understanding.

"You've changed too," Liz continued, a small smile on her face. "Not only physically but you have this new-found confidence within you that I've never seen before. But at the same time, I see that you're still the same kid who got me covered in mud just a short month ago."

Nate smiled.

"You're the same guy that I've always known and you've always been my friend," she told him. "That would never change."

As Nate smiled, a load seemed to have lifted off his shoulders.

"Really?" Nate said, smiling happily.

"Really," she affirmed to him with a smile as she pulled on her shoes. "Now, I don't suppose your car is parked too far from here so we can get home before my Dad freaks out that I'm out so late."

Nate winced.

"Actually, I ran here."

Liz paused.

"You... ran?"

"Yeah, like on four legs," he told her, causing Liz to nod in understanding.

"Oh, the wolf thing."

Nate nodded, while Liz pulled out her cell phone from her pant pocket.

"No big deal. I'm sure I can get ahold of someone who can..."

She stopped talking when the screen illuminating her face in the darkness before she sighed.

"No service. Great," Liz stated with a sarcastic undertone before she turned off the phone and tucked it back into her pocket. "So we're stuck out here."

Nate smirked. "You are. I'm not."

"Yeah, well you have the luxury of turning into a giant wolf and galavant all over the mountainside."

"I do not galavant," Nate remarked with a laugh.

"Either way, how about you run home and come back with the car? I'll wait here for you to come back."

Nate shook his head. "No way. That's out of the question. I'm not leaving you out here alone and in the dark."

Liz shrugged.

"Well, do you have any other ideas?"

Nate paused, watching Liz as he was even uncertain whether she would agree with his suggestion.

"I do have one, but I don't think you'd go for it," he admitted.

"What is it?"

"How do you feel about riding on the back of a wolf?"

Liz scoffed.

"You're not serious."

"I completely am. What do you say?"

"Is it safe?"

"Liz, I would never purposely put you in danger. If I'm going too fast or if you're afraid, you can just tell me and I'll stop."

Liz pinched the bridge of her nose with her fingers.

"Yeah, but this isn't like riding a horse."

"Sure, it is! Same size, just...furrier," Nate said, with a chuckle.

Still, Liz hesitated.

"Uh, I don't know about this."

"Come on," Nate said with a grin before he held up his hand in an oath. "I promise to be on my best behaviour. What do you say?"

Nate held out his hand toward Liz in a gesture to signify his promise.

Still slightly uncertain about the whole idea, Liz couldn't help but smirk at Nate's infectious excitement. Throwing caution to the wind she shrugged.

"Okay, let's do it," she said, bringing her hand down to shake Nate's.

The moment their fingers intwined and their hands fully connected, a shock of electricity zapped through the pair as flashes of images, emotions and thoughts quickly coursed through their minds. It was all in a blink of an eye, but they both felt, saw and heard it all. Nate heard Liz's comments in his mind about the warmth of his hand before he replied equally back to her that it was a wolf thing. Having being used to having someone in his head, he wasn't completely sidelined as Liz suddenly was until he saw her expression of confusion. With a gasp, she quickly pulled her hand out from his, the connection of thoughts instantly ceasing.

"What the hell...?" She breathed, looking up at Nate in confusion.

* * *

 ** _A/N_**

 ** _So what do you think? Please review!_**


	29. Chapter 29

Nate looked down at his hand.

"That's impossible," Nate said softly. "I think that I just heard your voice in my head."

Liz turned her attention to him as Nate clenched and flexed his hand as though he were trying to figure out what was going on.

"It's happened before, between you and me," Liz finally stated, causing Nate to look up at her. "That night, when you walked me home from Billy's after the bonfire. It happened when you grabbed my hand. I thought that I had been imagining things. I was wrong. It was you all along."

Nate thought back to that night. So many events of that night and then the following days had changed him so much. His altercation with Talon had unknowingly set the fever into high gear that night. Nate hadn't had the chance to think back to the argument that stemmed from Liz's accusation from the thoughts that he realized now that the two of them had obviously shared. A smile came to his face as he remembered them, especially knowing that Liz had contributed to it. It was obvious that she realized it too. Nate could see an embarrassed blush on her cheeks.

"So, is this another part of imprinting that my Mom neglected to mention?"

"I don't think so," Nate replied. "I don't know of anyone who has experienced this."

He paused and looked down at his hand.

"It's strange though. It's just like the pack telepathy, but shared only between two minds."

Liz shook her head. "How...how is this even possible?"

With his eyes still on his hand, Nate quickly held it out towards Liz once again. Startled by his action, Liz backed away.

"What are you doing?"

"Take my hand," he told her.

She stared at him, skeptical of his reasoning behind it.

"I want to see if it'll happen again." He shrugged. "Besides, it's not going to hurt to try."

Although she was hesitant, her curiousity convinced her that Nate was right.

Flexing and then curling her fingers against her palm, Liz slowly reached out and took Nate's hand once again. Just like before, her ears and mind opened to Nate's voice and thoughts. A smile came to Nate's face.

' _Liz, look at me_ ,' Liz heard, before she looked up from their clasped hands towards Nate. ' _You can hear me.'_

' _This is really wierd_ ,' she thought causing Nate to nod.

 _'I want to try something,_ ' Nate suddenly thought before images of herself were thrust into her mind. Emotions and thoughts followed encompassing them all. Feelings of attraction and devotion along with waves of affection were so strong that they were nearly overwhelming for her. It was almost too much for her as she watched a quick abridged version of how those emotions had struck Nate the moment he had seen her.

' _What was that?'_

 _'That was how it felt when I imprinted on you.'_

Slowly Liz let Nate's hand go, the connection suddenly broken. Both stood still, Nate's eyes not having left Liz's.

"I had no idea," she said softly, dropping her hand to her side. "I didn't know that it was that strong for you."

"You had no way of knowing," Nate said, with a shrug.

"But I do now," Liz corrected him, a small smile on her face. "Thank you for showing me."

Nate took a small step closer to her, slightly concerned that she would back away. He wanted nothing more than to be closer to her. When she didn't move, Nate took another step.

"Now you know what I mean when I say, I will always be there for you, Liz," he told her softly.

An involuntary tingle went down Liz's back at the sound of Nate speaking her name in a way that she hadn't heard before. She let out an uneasy breath before taking a small step back and smiled. It was too fast, too soon.

"I didn't have to see the moment that you imprinted on me to know that. But I do appreciate you showing me."

Nate smiled back, having heard Liz's heartbeat speed up slightly. It wasn't the response the wolf within was wanting, but Nate was pleased that she was reacting to his proximity, even if she wasn't conscious of it. Even if mentally, Liz wasn't ready for any type of relationship, Nate would wait for the day that she was.

Liz took a deep breath. "We...uh...we do need to find out what's going on between us."

Nate nodded in agreement. "My Grandpa. If anyone would know, he'd be the one."

Thinking it best that they head back to La Push, Nate turned and headed towards the treeline along the beach. Liz took a few steps after him until she realized he was heading straight for the woods.

"Where are you going?"

Nate turned as he walked and smiled at her. "To get your ride. I'll be right back. Don't worry. I wont let you out of my sight."

Liz crossed her arms as she watched him jog into the darkness. When she could no longer see him, Liz sighed and looked out at the water. The silence was tranquil, but Liz found herself suddenly longing for Nate's company. She wasn't keen on being alone in the dark with no people for miles around. When a sudden rustling of leave and a snap of a twig caught her attention in the opposite direction that Nate had gone, Liz quickly turned, her eyes darting around.

"Nate? That's not funny," Liz said aloud.

When she didn't get a response, she let out a shaky sigh.

"Nate, come on. Where are you?"

A sudden nudge against her back caused her to quickly turn.

Liz gasped, stumbling backward before falling on her backside into the sand. Seeing her shocked and startled reaction, Nate's wolf instinctively backed up and laid down on the beach, his head resting flat on the ground.

"Oh, my god," she breathed, taking in the wolf in front of her. "The stories are true."

Although she had known it before, to see it with her own eyes was something entirely different.

As Liz tried to compose herself and her nerves, a weak, "Nate?" Slipped through her lips.

Upon hearing his name, Nate's ears twitched forward before his tail wagged, sweeping the sand behind him.

With her eyes on him, she slowly stood up in the sand. Nate remained in his position on the ground, allowing Liz to tower over him.

"This can't be real," she whispered to herself, watching as the giant wolf laying on the sand watched her as she walked on the beach around him. For a moment, she looked out towards the woods where Nate had disappeared into before looking back at the wolf watching her carefully.

"I'm not just talking to a dog, am I? Are you in there, Nate?"

Nate whined slightly and perked his ears.

"I mean, you can understand me like this, right?"

Nate stood up suddenly, causing Liz to instinctively back up. He walked up to her and sat down, his front paws directly in front of her feet. Slowly, he brought his head down and gently nudged her arm at her side with his nose.

"I wonder if I'd be able to read your thoughts like this," Liz said.

Again, the wolf whined before dropping his belly to the ground. Crouching down in front of him, Liz reached out and put her hand on the wolf's head. Although she never heard Nate's voice in her head, she couldn't get over how soft his fur was. It was thick and warm, softer than any plush cashmere blanket that she had ever felt in any of those upscale shops in Port Angeles.

Catching Nate's eyes, she shrugged.

"Must be only a human to human thing."

Nate turned his head and gestured towards his back before looking back at Liz. She didn't need to hear his thoughts to know that he was wanting her to get on his back.

Liz stood up and sighed, before clenching her fists nervously before relaxing them.

"Yeah, I know," she said softly as she slowly walked around to Nate's side. "You want me to get on."

It took her a minute before she had fully settled on his back just below his shoulders. Nate suddenly stood up, causing Liz to gasp out and lean forward to hold on closer to his neck.

Nate walked towards the woods before starting to run at a slower than normal speed. Slowly he sped up, finding Liz wasn't minding it at all. He could hear her heartbeat, noticing the steady beat, although faster than normal. He caught her chuckling at times as he ran but it wasn't until she got off his back behind Billy's house that Nate saw her expression. A smile was on her face and her hair was windblown, but there was no indication that she was afraid. In fact, it seemed that she really enjoyed the thrill of racing through the woods.

"That was amazing," she said in astonishment, just as Billy's back door suddenly opened and the deck light turned on.

The man rolled out onto his deck, his eyes squinting against the bright light piercing the darkness around his home. He had seen a wolf come into his yard as he went past the door. It wasn't too often that he had any of the pack come to visit, as they were busy running patrols around La Push. So, he was curious as to whom would be there at that time of night. When his eyes recognized Nate's colouring, a smile came to his face.

"Nate?! What are you doing out here?"

Upon hearing his voice, Liz walked around Nate and smiled as she made her way towards the back deck. Behind her, Nate lept back into the woods.

"Elizabeth Uley," Billy said, suddenly recognizing her as she approached him in the light.

"Hi Mr. Black."

"Lizzie, it's after midnight. What are you and Nate doing out here at this time of the night? I assume that the both of you came to some sort of understanding."

Liz took the final few steps up onto Billy's back deck and nodded.

"It's been quite the night, but yes, we have," she replied, before looking over her shoulder towards the dark woods.

"That's good to hear," Billy said, a broad smile on his face.

When she didn't see Nate re-appear as quickly as he had when they were on the beach, Liz sighed and turned back to Billy.

"I hope I'm not intruding."

Billy chuckled. "Oh, not at all. In fact, I had been lying in bed for over an hour, trying to sleep. I just got up and was getting something to drink when I happened to see a wolf in my yard. Now, I'm wondering if the Spirits were keeping me from falling asleep, knowing that you were going to be coming by." He paused and looked at her expression, Billy's own smile falling. "Is something wrong, my dear?"

Liz winced. "Not exactly. It's just..."

At the same time, Nate came jogging across the yard and bounded up the few steps onto Billy's deck, a large smile on his face.

"Sorry I took so long. Did you ask him yet?" Nate suddenly blurted out loud, quickly catching his breath.

Liz shook her head. "Not yet."

Billy looked between Liz and Nate, curious and a bit apprehensive given Liz's earlier reaction to Nate imprinting on her.

"Ask me what?"

Liz looked over at Nate, anticipating him to ask his grandfather what was going on between them.

"Do you know if there has ever been any record of a..." Nate paused, not entirely certain what to call it. "A strange...thing that happens between a wolf and imprint?"

Billy looked confused at Nate's question.

"A strange...thing? What exactly are we talking about here?"

"I can hear Nate's thoughts," Liz answered for Nate.

Nate looked and her and nodded before turning to Billy. "And I can hear hers. It's just like in the pack mind."

Billy's eyes widened and looked between the pair. "You mean, right now you can hear each other's thoughts?"

Both Liz and Nate shook their heads. Nate looked down at his palm. "No, holding hands seems to be what does the trick."

"Really? That's very interesting," Billy said, rubbing his chin before he let out a deep sigh. Reaching out with his weathered hand towards Liz, he smiled softly. "May I?"

Liz glanced at Nate before offering Billy her hand. He did the same gesture to Nate, holding each other hands within his own palms.

"And still nothing?"

Again, Liz and Nate shook their heads.

With a thoughtful hum, Billy let go of Liz's hand and turned Nate's hand over within his own, palm up. Silently, he reached out for Liz's hand and within his palm, he put them together, his own hands clasped over and below them.

Once again, the connection returned.

' _So strange_ ', was the thought that was shared before Nate looked down at Liz. He smiled when he saw an image of himself As his wolf through Liz's mind and the warmth that he caused her to feel while she rode on his back on their return trip to La Push.

Nate felt a sudden longing coming from her to hopefully see his wolf again and he couldn't help but answer her.

' _Anytime. Just say the word.'_

He looked over at Billy, seeing his grandfather had his eyes on him with a knowing smile on his face. With a glance at Liz, they let go of their hands. They held their gaze for a few seconds and Nate couldn't help but want to touch her again. Their shared connection was starting to feel like a drug to him.

"That's incredible," Billy said, astonishingly, before he looked down at his hands on his lap. "And I could feel the power within your combined grasp. I've never felt magic like that before. It's really remarkable."

Liz put her hands in her pockets.

"What does it mean?"

Billy smiled up at her. "You two have a shared gift. I have never heard of anything like it before. But then again, Nate, you are the son of two shape shifters. That alone has never happened before. It's no surprise that your imprint would be unique as well."

Suddenly, Liz felt her phone vibrate within her pocket. Assuming it was her Dad wondering about where she was, she quickly pulled it out, only to find Kyle's name on the screen. She quickly turned it off and shoved it back into her pocket. Liz smiled apologetically before Billy continued.

"I would encourage you to use it," Billy told them. "As your relationship progresses, I'm certain that this form of communication could make your imprint bond all the more intimate."

Nate chuckled awkwardly, rubbing the back of his neck.

"Yeah, we're just friends, Grandpa," he said, while Billy smirked.

"You do know that that can only be temporary," he said. "You were made for each other and the Spirits have graced you both with the opportunity to grow up together, to first create a bond outside of an imprint; something that the others have never had."

"But I was told that the imprint could be whatever I needed it to be," Liz stated.

Billy paused and looked down.

"I have yet to see an imprint remain platonic," he told her softly. "Before you know it, Nate will undoubtedly become more attracted to you and both of you will find it harder to stay away from each other for long periods of time."

Billy paused glancing at his grandson before looking back at Liz.

"You are right in saying that the imprint is whatever you need it to be. You'll find that he is exactly what you are needing, not only for comfort and companionship, but also for your future. Your eyes will be opened to find that the man and Spirit Warrior that has been connected to you from before you were even born will be the one whom you'll desire to spend your life with. Don't be afraid of it."

After getting the assurance from Billy that he'd be willing to talk with them anytime about their newfound gifts, Nate offered to walk Liz the short distance home. Liz was quiet as they walked along and Nate couldn't help but sense that something was wrong.

The last few words that Billy had told them, played over and over in Liz's head; ' _the one whom you'll desire to spend your life with_ _'._ She had been so certain of her future with Kyle. Nate had always been a fried and nothing more. To know that the Spirits over their people had placed her and Nate together with the intent to spend their lives as one was confusing and downright overwhelming. Her mind rebelled and couldn't help but plant a seed in her mind of herself with Nate and Liz quickly found herself indulging a little in her daydream.

"I'm sorry that Grandpa didn't have any answers for us."

Liz startled at his words suddenly breaking her reverie. She shrugged.

"Seems that since we're the first to have this sort of thing going on, he wouldn't have had anything to tell us anyways."

"True," Nate said softly, nodding his head. He paused and glanced over at her. "Are you okay?"

Liz put a smile on her face and turned to him. "I'm fine."

Not entirely believing her, but also sensing that she wasn't wanting to talk about it, Nate walked ahead of her on the dirt worn path.

The darkness was most likely making it harder for Liz to see ahead. A smile came to his face as he recalled the last time they had made a similar walk. Although it wasn't pouring rain, the ground was muddy just like then and it was making certain terrain to be a little slick. Nate had offered his hand a few times to help her along the path, but each time, Liz had refused, telling him that she could handle it. He was certain that their conversation with Billy had caused her some anxiety. Realizing that her relationship with Nate wouldn't always be platonic was most likely was the culprit.

Sensing fast movement coming from behind him, Nate quickly turned and grabbed ahold of Liz's arm just as one foot slid down the short hill that he was walking down. Although he was quite sturdy, his shoes weren't and he slipped slightly, putting one hand on the ground to balance while holding Liz upright as much as he could.

At the same time, a flood of attraction swept into his mind as he saw himself back on the day that he had walked Liz home and they were hosing down behind the Uley's home after being covered in mud. His memory of the event wasn't the same as he was witnessing as he suddenly saw himself being forcefully turned around before soft hands were running down his wet chest and abs while Liz's lips kissed and teased the smooth flesh of his neck. Although he was only a spectator to Liz's thoughts, he couldn't help but sense a wave of desire as he saw his hands reach into her soaked hair before her lips quickly descended onto his mouth. It was very similar to the same images that he had seen the night he had gotten into an argument with her. He saw it all within the fraction of a second.

"What are you doing?" Liz asked, pulling her arm away, instantly ceasing the images Nate was seeing.

"I...I uh...I don't think we have to be holding hands to see into each other's minds," he said, standing up carefully as to not slip. "I just saw you...and I..." he paused, wiggling his eyebrows.

Liz's eyes widened, having realized that he had in fact seen her thoughts. Mortified that he knew about it and possibly so much more, she backed away from him in fear of him touching her again.

"You read my mind without me even knowing?!"

"Liz, it was an accident," he told her. "I don't know how to shut it off once I touch you."

"You could have let go! Did you ever think that there are things that I don't want you to know about!?"

"I promise you, I wont ever tell anyone anything that I see in your mind," Nate said. "But I've seen that same scenerio between us before - at your house, the night we argued. This gift between us must have already been working at that time."

Liz scoffed.

"Gift?! I've never felt so exposed in all my life!"

"It's no big deal!"

Liz ran her hands through her hair. Nate watched her before he continued.

"I know that this is a lot to take in. I'm sure that your growing attraction towards me must be confusing..."

"It's frustrating, that's what it is!" She rolled her eyes before she sighed. "I can't stop thinking about you. The entire time when I was out with Kyle, you were on my mind. You've seen my thoughts. They are far from friendly and I can't help but think about them."

When she caught Nate's smile, she punched him playfully in the shoulder.

"It isn't funny!"

"I'm not laughing," Nate corrected her. "I'm just finding it amusing that you're being affected by the imprint as much as I am."

Liz sighed.

"Nate, I'm really wanting this...thing between us to stay platonic," she said, before she growled out in frustration, taking a step back from Nate. "But you...standing here...wearing only a pair of ratty shorts, certainly isn't helping."

"Why? Why do you need it to be platonic when clearly, you don't want it to be."

"I want to be able to fall in love with you and for you to fall in love with me, without this imprint to influence us like it obviously has."

Nate chuckled, causing Liz to cross her arms.

"You have no idea, do you?"

"No idea of what?"

"Liz, I have had a crush on you for years and when I heard that you had a boyfriend, I was beyond jealous of him. I threatened his life if he ever hurt you and made him think that we had something going on between us," Nate told her. "This was all long before I imprinted on you."

Liz paused, digesting his words.

"You threatened Kyle's life?"

Nate shrugged and winced. "Not my most endearing moment. I think being that I was so close to phasing, I had times of hightened aggression and unfortunately, I took it out on Kyle." He paused. "I wouldn't let anyone hurt you, even then. I'd never admit to having feelings for you at the time, but if you had given me a chance, I would've jumped at the opportunity to be with you."

Liz shook her head and a small smile appeared on her face.

"And," Nate added with a smile, "I bet that I can prove to you that you already were attracted to me before the imprint."

"Oh, really?"

Nate nodded. "That thought that you had..."

Liz rolled her eyes, a light blush coming to her face.

"Something makes me think that it's not a recent thing. I'm guessing that you had some pretty racy thoughts about me that day."

Liz sighed. "Yeah, you're right," she admitted. "I checked you out while I was hosing down your back."

Nate smirked proudly and took a step towards her. "I thought so. And that all happened before I imprinted."

Still, Liz backed away from him and put her hands behind her.

"Nate, as much as this imprint and all my instincts are telling me that this thing between us is right, I still just broke up with Kyle less than two hours ago," she told him.

Nate nodded in understanding.

"We can take it slow," he assured her. "Just don't...don't purposely stay away from me, please."

Seeing her curious expression he explained. "I have a strong desire to be near you, even if it is just to catch your scent."

"My scent!?" Liz exclaimed, causing Nate to laugh as he shook his head.

"It's all good, I assure you," he said, smiling. "You smell wonderful to me and since you were on my back, my scent is mixed with yours and there's no hint of Kyle's any more. It calms the wolf within."

"What do I smell like?"

Nate smirked and inhaled. "It's like..."

He paused as another scent came from upwind and he quickly turned his head. He growled in the back of his throat before instinctively shifting his body to protect Liz. Noticing the sudden change in his behaviour, Liz looked up at Nate, seeing his eyes focused on the woods beside them.

"Nate? What is it?"

He sighed, frustrated that they were no longer alone.

"We have a pair of eavesdroppers," he said bitterly, causing Liz to turn to look into the woods. She didn't see anyone.

"Where?"

"About two dozen yards away," he replied. "It's your brother and my cousin."

"Talon? Talon's out there?"

Nate sighed and started walking along the path once again, disappointed that his time alone with Liz would be cut short.

"I should get you home before your Dad hears Talon's exagerated version of what we were doing in the woods," he said, as Liz followed beside him. "Your Dad's wolf can be pretty scary when it comes to your safety and well being. He was super pissed when he found out I imprinted on you."

To Nate's surprise, Liz reached out, her hand catching his forearm before she slid it down to his hand, their fingers enclosing around each other.

' _Leave my Dad to me,_ ' she thought aloud, smiling at Nate.

Nate squeezed her hand before she let go as they made their way into the Uley's yard. The house seemed dark and based on the time of night, Nate assumed that everyone had gone to sleep. It wasn't until his eyes caught movement on the porch that he realized that wasn't the case.

"Shit," Nate cursed under his breath.

"What is it?"

"Your Dad is up," he replied, as they continued to walk towards the porch. Sam was sitting on a rocking chair, his dark eyes staring at them as they had come out of hte woods.

Nate watched him carefully as he approached, his instinct to protect Liz despite the man whom he'd be protecting her from was her own father. He could feel the wolf within willing to fight his imprint's father for his right to be with her, if it came to that.

Somehow knowing about his unnecessary need to protect, Liz purposely walked ahead of him and Nate allowed her, knowing well enough that Sam wouldn't ever do anything to harm her. She walked up onto the porch while Nate stayed a few feet away on the gravel driveway.

Sam stood up, seeing Liz approach while also sensing Nate's latent hostility. He crossed his arms, his eyes focused on the young wolf keeping a close eye on his only daughter.

"Dad..."

"Liz, get inside," Sam growled angrily, interrupting whatever she was about to tell him before gesturing to the door beside him.

She took a deep breath.

"No."

Sam tore his eyes from Nate and turned to her.

"I will not allow that...wolf...to push himself on you."

Liz's memories of her evening with Kyle came back to her. She pinched her eyes, not wanting to recall it. To hear her father accuse Nate of doing such a thing as to force himself on her caused her anger to flare. Nate undoubtedly heard the accusation and snarled, causing Sam to glance back at him.

"Dad, Nate didn't do anything," Liz exclaimed. "He'd never do anything like that."

"The moment you came on this porch I could smell him all over you," Sam snarled angrily with a wince, his eyes glaring down at Nate, undoubtedly ready to phase the moment Liz would leave the porch.

"Nate's wolf gave me a ride home," she told him sternly. "I broke up with Kyle tonight and Nate did nothing more than help me get home since the guy stranded me outside of Port Angeles. Nate was understanding and sympathetic."

"What?" Sam asked, shaking his head to ensure he was hearing things properly. "Your boyfriend left you without a way home in Port Angeles?"

Liz nodded darkly. "He's not my boyfriend any longer."

Sam looked back at Nate and nodded curtly his thanks to him before turning to Liz.

"So, I'm guessing that you two talked about the imprint," he stated, bitterly.

"We're taking it slow, Dad," Liz told him, causing Sam's eyes to look at her in surprise. "At least for now."

Sam looked back at Nate. "But the imprint stronger for him. He may be ready for a whole lot more than what you're expecting. You two are still very young."

Liz snorted. "Dad, I'll be 18 in a few months. Nate will be 18 right after me."

Sam pinched the bridge of his nose. "Don't remind me. I'm just saying that I don't want that wolf to pressure you into anything that you're not ready for."

Liz smiled. "Dad, I trust him."

This time, Sam snorted. "Lizzie, he's a teenage boy within a wolf's body and his raging hormones run more on instinct than they do with a rational mind, believe me, I know!"

Behind her, she heard Nate growl beneath his breath, causing Sam to glare at him.

"I still trust him. It's hard to believe that I'm saying this as yesterday I don't think I would have, but I trust him more than anyone."

Sam took a deep breath and sighed.

"You know, your Mom said something similar to me many years ago after I told her that I was too much of a danger for her to continue to be around me." He paused and looked at Nate as he stood as a silent sentry on his driveway.

"I'm going inside. I'll give you a few minutes to say goodnight to him," he said, opening up the screen door while glancing over at Nate.

"I don't think I need to tell you that I'll hunt you down if I happen to find you in her room," Sam growled out his threat.

While Nate nodded, Liz snorted. "Dad, come on! It's not like he's going to sneak through my window or anything."

"I wouldn't put anything past an imprinted wolf," he said seriously, glaring at Nate one last time before going into the house.

Liz turned and left the porch, and walked towards Nate.

"Sorry about that," Liz said, coming up to him. "My Dad's really overprotective."

"What did I tell you?"

Liz reached out and grabbed his hand.

' _See you tomorrow?'_

Nate nodded. ' _You're not getting rid of me._ '

' _It's strange to think that I'll miss you tonight._ '

Nate smiled, sensing Liz's growing attraction and the tugging of the imprint on her.

' _You're feeling the imprint. It'll be stronger the longer we're together and it'll make it harder to be apart for any time. For me, you're like oxygen when I'm drowning.'_

Quickly glancing up at the Uley's house and noting the movement by the window, Nate was aware that Sam was watching them. Behind them, they also had an audience. Both Talon and Ryan were nearby. Nate wanted nothing more than to play out her thoughts in reality and to be further enveloped in her intoxicating scent. But knowing that not only was she not ready for something like that and that he'd undoubtedly be chased around the reservation by Liz's brother and later, her Father, he opted not to.

When a sudden idea came into his mind that he knew wasn't his own, he glanced down at Liz. She smiled up at him and nodded.

With a smirk, Nate took their joined hands and brought the back of her hand up to his lips, gently kissing it. A sudden surge of affection washed over him, nearly knocking him off his feet. He took a deep breath before he let go of her hand.

"That was..."

He couldn't even find the words to explain it. Liz nodded in agreement, a smile on her face.

"I better go inside before Dad comes back out."

Nate nodded.

"Good night," he whispered softly.

"Good night," Liz said, her voice failing her slightly.

Slowly, Nate backed up away from her.

"Sleep well," he said with a wink, before turning and jogging back into the woods.

Liz watched him run off, barefoot and topless. She bit her lip before she finally turned to walk back into the house. Memories of that simple kiss on her skin was certainly going to be haunting her all night. She scoffed inwardly at his wish for her to sleep well. Liz already knew that her dreams were going to be plagued by a certain dark haired man whom she was quickly gaining a deeper attraction for, and who was also quickly stealing her heart.

* * *

Kyle looked down at his phone for the third time. He had called Liz twice, and left a message each time. He wanted desperately to talk with her, to apologize for his appalling behavior but so far he hadn't had the chance. She wasn't answering her phone. In the back of his mind, Kyle wondered if she was still with Nate. That boy aggrevated him. Not only had he lied about haivng life threatening allergies but it appeared that he was also on drugs. There was no doubt in Kyle's mind that there was something seriously wrong with Nate Black.

As he was fifteen minutes outside of Forks, he quickly pulled over at a gas station to call once again. The place was desolate as it was getting close to midnight and the gas station had closed nearly three hours earlier.

Kyle put the pick up into park and pulled out his phone once again. And just like before, his call went straight to voice mail. He was about to call her again when a sudden knock on the window caused him to jump.

A blond haired girl stood beside his door. She smiled politely as he rolled down his window.

"I'm so sorry to bother you, but I was wondering if I could possibly get a ride," the girl said.

Kyle looked around the empty gas station, seeing no other cars nearby.

"Did you walk here?"

She nodded. "Yeah, my car broke down a few miles up the road and the battery in my phone died. I walked here hoping the shop was open."

Kyle snorted and smiled at her. She was pretty and petite. There was something alluring about her that made him grateful that he had stopped. "This place is always closed by eleven. If you'd like, I could take a look at your car and see if I can get it going. If not, I'd be glad to give you a ride into town."

"Really!?" The girl asked, excitedly. "That would be great!"

She quickly made her way around to the passenger side of the pick up and climbed in.

"I'm Kyle," he said, with a smile.

"Jane."

Jane suddenly took a deep breath and smiled. "Thank you Kyle. You'll do perfectly."

"I beg your pardon?"

Jane turned to Kyle and his smile fell when he noted her red eyes. "Are you all right?"

"I'm perfectly fine," Jane replied with a smile. "And shortly, so shall you be."

Before Kyle could even ask what she meant, a searing pain shot through his body as he suddenly found Jane attacking him at his neck. Slowly, she backed away and wiped her mouth with the back of her hand. Kyle screamed as he scratched mercilessly at his neck in an attempt to stop the overwhelming pain that took his breath away. Jane watched, a satisfied expression on her face before she climbed back out of the pick up.

The moment she climbed out, Alec appeared beside her. He glanced into the pick up and rolled his eyes.

"I thought you were here to eat," he said. "Aro will not be pleased to find that our presense may be detected by the Cullen's or the wolves that frequent this area."

"Aro will understand why I changed my mind. I could smell those wolves on him. He's been near them and being his age, he could quite possibly have been near the Alpha's son."

Inside the pick up, Kyle continued to scream while Jane held his cell phone within her hand. The main screen shot illuminated in the darkness showing an image of Kyle and Liz smiling together.

"In three days, he may be an asset to us in finding how we can lure the alpha's son away from the rest. Then the Volturi will once again have the upper hand."

Alec nodded at Jane's plan.

* * *

"Nate! Get up!"

Nate groaned and rolled over in his bed before he felt it jostle beneath him when Jacob pushed against the frame once again. He mumbled incoherently and closed his eyes once again before the bright light of a new morning flooded his room, causing Nate to squint.

"Dad! I just got to bed an hour ago!"

"I don't care! Get the hell out of that bed! Now!"

Nate could hear the anger in Jacob's tone. It was more than just a frustration. His Alpha and Father were ticked off beyond anything Nate had ever experienced. He opened his eyes, to see that the emotions Nate was detecting in his father's voice were accurate. Nate could see the controlled rage in Jacob's face and could sense how close the wolf was to the surface. Just behind him, he could see his Mom, staring at him with displeasure and also disappointment.

Nate looked between the two.

"What's going on?"

"Outside! Now!"

The Alpha timbre poured through his words and Jacob wasn't at all ashamed for using it on his son. There was a serious accusation against Nate and as much as he wished that it were false, he couldn't help but suspect that Nate was somehow involved.

With a grumbling sigh and a piercing glare at Jacob, Nate got up and stalked past both his parents, down the hallway and towards the front door. As he walked, he noted that neither Sarah nor Liam were around.

The moment he opened the front door and stepped out onto their porch, he saw the eyes that suddenly fell on him. There was an air of disappointment and disbelief in the air as he saw not only Charlie and Seth, both in police uniform with their squad car up the driveway, but also Sam, standing with his arms crossed, along with Paul, Quil, and Embry. Nate suddenly felt awkward standing on the porch in his boxers.

"What's going on?" He asked, as Jacob and Jo walked out from behind him.

Jacob looked at the pair in uniform before Charlie stepped forward.

"Kyle Hanson has been reported missing this morning," he told him, shoving his hands into his pockets.

"What?" Nate said surprisingly. "I just saw him last night."

Charlie nodded. "That's what Liz Uley said as well. She said that you two got into a verbal confrontation before he left."

Nate snorted. "The guy was being a jack ass."

"And you didn't see him again since?"

Nate paused and looked at Jacob beside him. "No...he took off and I brought Liz home."

Sam sighed.

"Where did you go after you left my place last night?"

"I patrolled with Quil, letting Talon and Ryan to go home," he replied, glancing over at Quil.

"How soon was this after you left the Uley's house?" Seth asked.

Nate paused, looking around at the eyes on him. "What's with the interrogation?"

"You were behaving strangely last night. I couldn't see all your thoughts," Quil said, softly. "Some were locked up tighter than Fort Knox. At first I figured it had something to do with you and Liz. Now, it makes us wonder if you were possibly hiding something that you didn't want the rest of us to know. We all know that Kyle was Liz's boyfriend and the anger that we can feel when another male is with an imprint."

Nate growled. "So, you're thinking that I'm somehow involved in his disappearance? You seriously think that I would purposely go after someone to physically hurt them?!"

"We'd do anything to protect our imprint," Paul told him frankly.

"I'm not stupid! I know that we aren't allowed to hurt a human!" Nate shouted at his uncle.

"Calm down," Jacob told him firmly, putting his hand on his shoulder. Nate quickly shrugged it off.

"Calm down!? You're all blaming me for causing the son of a bitch to disappear without a trace!"

"Nate, we're just asking questions," Seth said, protectively standing in front of Charlie in fear that Nate would phase. "Right now we have yet to find any clues about where he is. His truck is still missing as well."

"Not anymore!" Jared said interrupting the conversation as he ran out of the woods towards them. "Derek and I just found it about thirty miles northeast of Forks. We're keeping our distance in case he's in there."

"Near the highway heading out towards Port Angeles?" Charlie asked eagerly, pulling his keys out of his pocket, while Jared nodded.

"Looks to be about a hundred yards off the main road, but we can lead you the way from there."

Charlie nodded, glancing at Seth indicating for him to get head back to the cruiser with him.

The others looked to Jacob as he turned back to Jared.

"Wait by the road for Charlie and Seth," he told him before glancing at Sam and Quil. "You two are with me. Em, can you pick up patrol around La Push?"

Embry nodded, taking off while Jacob turned to kiss Jo on the cheek.

"I'm coming with you," Nate said, before Jacob turned towards him.

"No, you're staying here. I need cool heads and a few moments ago, you were within a breath of phasing in front of all of us."

"That's because you all were accusing me of causing the bastard to disappear."

Jacob sighed. "Nate, I believe you when you say that you aren't involved in this. At the same time, based on what Quil heard in your thoughts, we were all concerned that being that Kyle was Liz's boyfriend that maybe you...slipped. We all make mistakes."

Nate sighed, looking out into the woods. Jacob turned to Jo and kissed her once more before jumping off the porch and running off into the woods.

Still, Nate stared off into the woods, causing Jo to look at him in concern.

"I'm going to go pick up your brother and sister from your grandpa's," she told him. "Breakfast is on the table, if you're hungry."

Instead, Nate walked off the porch and walked towards the woods in the opposite direction of where the others had gone.

"Nate! Your Father specifically said you aren't to go with them!"

Nate turned as he walked, and smirked. "I'm not."

He took a few more steps and lept into the woods, landing on four feet with his boxers shredded on the ground behind him. Nate glanced back at his Mom before racing through the forest towards the Uley's house.

 _ **A/N - Please review!**_


	30. Chapter 30

One of the first things that Talon learned after his first phase was that, irregardless of whether he could change into a mythical Quileute creature or not, it didn't excuse him from doing school work or his daily chores. Some of those chores became more enjoyable as he was now able to accomplish them quicker or easier than before. But that also meant that his list of things to do was more extensive. On top of it all, Sam and Emily ensured that he was spending a portion of his day reading and studying.

Talon had always struggled in school, while Liz had excelled. His teachers knew that he was dyslectic and certain subjects were harder than they would be for kids his age. Although it would be a few years before he would be old enough to take his GED, Emily and Sam decided to homeschool him in hopes that when the time came, he'd have an easier time. One of those subjects that he had trouble with was mathematical word problems. Numbers and letters would became mixed up within his head, making it so much more difficult than it actually was.

Talon growled out in frustration before he pounded his pencil down on the kitchen table.

"I can't do this! It doesn't make any sense! Why do I even have to know this shit!?"

Hearing her son's exasperation from where she stood in the kitchen making breakfast, Emily swiftly turned. Silently, she eyed Shawn, who was sitting across from his brother, seemingly oblivious to his outburst, after having heard them on more than one occasion lately. He had earbuds in his ears and his handheld video game in his hand. Quickly and casually, she wiped her hands on the dish towel before making her way to Talon who was doing his best in calming himself down, as the pack had instructed him to do when his anger would get the best of him.

Emily placed a calming hand on his back, further encouraging him to relax.

"Show me where you're stuck."

Talon pointed out the question, and sighed before Emily re-read the question to herself.

"Seriously Mom, why do I even need to know how many rows of corn that Bob planted in a week?" He flipped the textbook closed. "There's not a chance in hell that I'm going to ever see a field, let alone become a frickin' farmer in my life!"

Emily slapped him on the back of the head, before opening the textbook once again to the page that it had been at

"Hey! Watch the language, buddy. It has nothing to do with being a farmer. I'm sure that your Dad, Mr. Cameron and Mr. Lahote use similar math when they're working at a construction site."

She watched as Talon held his head within his hands. He looked so deflated and hopeless.

"It's just confusing," he admitted softly. "It doesn't make any sense."

Emily sighed and ran her hand over his head before she closed the textbook. Talon looked up in surprise.

"Go get some fresh air," she told him. "There's a basket of laundry that needs to be hung out. You can come back with a clearer head."

Although it wasn't what Talon had in mind, he was eager to do something different, if only to do something as menial as hanging up wet clothes on the clothes line.

...

The ground was still wet from the morning dew. The strong scent off the sea was blowing inland with the promise of a clear day. Autumn was quickly approaching and although it was still quite warm during the day, the evenings were quickly becoming cooler as the days were getting shorter.

Talon could feel the change in the air; the turning of the season. That wasn't the only thing he sensed when he stepped up beside the clothes line pole.

He paused and scanned the treeline, inhaling quickly and deeply before a smirk came to his face. Talon looked back at the house before he carefully placed the full basket of wet clothes on the ground. Without making a sound, he raced towards the tree line, pulling his arms through his shirt as he crossed through the thicket. Stopping beside an old oak, he placed his shirt over a branch before unzipping his shorts.

The scent was still far off, but was quickly coming closer. The only problem that he could foresee was the the moment he'd phase, he'd lose that element of surprise. Thinking quickly and ensuring that he was downwind, Talon quickly phased. Not to his surprise, his target's mind was clearly focused on someone else; his sister. Talon rolled his eyes as he saw a quick vision of Liz. Nate had to have noticed his presence in his mind, but was obviously distracted.

The wolf watched and waited, listening carefully and looked through Nate's eyes to see where he was. Talon hummed in his head, before he counted down.

' _3, 2..._ ' he paused, waiting for his opportunity.

' _Tal? what's going on_?' Nate asked, confusion in his voice.

' _One_!'

From his side and out of what seemed like no where, Nate was suddenly knocked off balance and was sent rolling down a small embankment and into a small creek that flowed through the woods. A sudden errupment of laughter echoed in his mind as Nate stood up within the ankle deep stream.

' _What the hell was that for?_!' Nate exclaimed, looking up at the dark brown wolf.

' _That was for imprinting on my sister_ ,' Talon told him. ' _I never got to deck you that day and seeing as now you two are good and she seems to be okay with the whole thing, and I can't really plot your murder, this was the next best thing.'_

A growl erupted from deep in Nate's chest.

' _Hey chill out, man! No one imprinted on your sister. If anyone has a right to be upset about this whole thing, it's me. Besides, you are right about last night. I could've told my Dad that you guys were doing a whole lot more than just walking in the woods and you wouldn't be walking as spritely as you are right now.'_

Talon watched as Nate climbed out of the water, and back up the embankment. Before Talon could move away, Nate shook the water and mud out of his fur and laughed as Talon shrugged whatever had gotten onto him.

' _Did your Dad tell you about Kyle?'_

 _'That the guy is missing? Yeah. I heard him talking to Liz this morning. He was asking her about what happened last night.'_ Talon paused and watched Nate before considering his next question. _'You didn't kill him, did you?'_

 _'Of course not!'_ Nate exclaimed, his teeth bared as he snarled and his heckles raised.

Talon quickly recoiled not at all eager to get into a physical altercation with Nate when he was clearly very agitated. He doubted it had anything to do with his sneak attack on him.

" _Whoa! Easy there! It was just a question. What's gotten into you today? It's like you woke up on the wrong side of the bed.'_

Nate huffed through his nose and sat on his haunches.

 _'Yeah, well, I got a rude awakening this morning. I was already accused of being involved in Kyle's disappearance when I woke up,' Nate told him. 'It's not a good feeling when your accused of something like that.'_

 _'Clearly you had nothing to do with it, so no worries there, bud,'_ Talon told him nudging him in his side with his head. ' _He just broke up with Liz. The guy probably found himself in a bar somewhere and got himself piss-drunk.'_

Nate shook his head.

 _'Jared and Derek found his pickup just off the highway,'_ he told him _. 'When I left home, some of the pack and Charlie and Seth were going to check it out.'_

 _'Damn',_ Talon said softly _. 'I know the guy is a prick, but I hope that for Liz's sake, he's fine.'_

' _Why would you say that?'_

 _'Knowing Liz, she'd blame herself if she found out that something bad had happened to him. Don't tell her about them finding the truck.'_

' _I'm not planning on it.'_

 _So, let me guess._ _You're out here to see Liz.'_

Nate could hear the teasing in his tone.

 _'You know me so well.'_

 _'I know that you're a whipped wolf!'_

The moment the thought passed to Nate, Talon knew that he should probably run. He took off racing through the woods, feeling Nate hot on his tail. They weaved in and around the trees. Although he felt Nate try to nip at his heels, Talon knew that it was all in fun. He could hear his laughter and playful teasing as they ran through the forest.

When a familiar voice called out to him, Talon stopped abruptly and perked his ears, turning back towards his house. Nate stopped at the same time, bumping into Talon's rear-end.

' _Tal, your Mom is calling_ ,' Nate told him.

Nate quickly saw Talon's memories from that morning and what had originally brought him outside before he purposely rammed him into the creek.

The pair turned and headed back towards the Uley's house. While Talon quickly phased back and grabbed his clothing from where he had left them, Nate didn't. Talon turned when he heard his friend whine softly.

Talon chuckled, noting how Nate didn't have any clothing wrapped to his ankle, as they had been taught to do.

"Let me guess, you want to borrow some clothes so that you can see my sister."

Nate's ears perked up. Talon sighed before rolling his eyes, mumbling something about Nate being whipped. He turned and headed back towards the thicket.

"I'll be right back."

Emily was standing by the abandonned laundry hamper, her eyes scanning the woods around their property. She turned when she heard Talon call out to her. When she saw him, a large smile stretched across her scared features. Her hand went to her face, stiffling a laugh.

"Talon? What happened to you?"

He paused, confused by her sudden giggle.

"What do you mean?"

"Your face is filthy. I thought you were out here hanging up laundry. Were you rolling in mud?"

Talon explained how he sensed that Nate was in the woods and had phased to meet him before the guy had proceeded to shake mud off of himself and ultimately had gotten some on Talon. He gestured to the treeline where he had walked out of before Emily directed Talon to the deckbox behind the house where she stashed extra pairs of shorts, for times like this.

While Talon made his way back to the woods, Emily began to hang up the laundry that she had originally sent out with Talon. It was only a minute before both her son and Nate Black were walking out of the woods, both laughing about something that Talon had said. She smiled, pleased that the two boys were getting along despite Talon's strong opposition towards Nate imprinting on Liz.

"Good morning, Nate," she said, smiling at the boy.

"Hi Mrs. Uley. Would Liz be around?"

Emily nodded and glanced towards the house. "She's taking care of breakfast for me right now. You can go on in and see her."

Nate smiled his thanks and turned to head towards the back door. Talon began to follow after him when Emily called him back, insisting that he finish hanging the laundry for her. He reminded her of the fact that his arms were covered in mud and suggested that he go in and wash up. Knowing full well that Talon simply wanted to keep an eye on Nate and Liz, she smirked and gestured to him to use the hose.

"And leave those two alone," she chastised at him, watching Nate as he walked into the house.

...

With her cell phone pinned between her ear and her shoulder, Liz tried her best to pour the muffin batter onto the muffin tray. She sighed, knowing that she was missing and was making a mess on the counter. In an effort to redeem herself, she scooped up what had fallen with a spoon and poured it into the pan. Liz glared at her younger brother sitting at the table, as he seemed completely oblivious to her needing help.

"Shawn!" She called out. "Get over here!"

Nothing. The volume on his ear buds was high and his attention was focused on the video game in his hand.

Liz groaned before she took a quick glance over at the stove top where her Mom had been frying eggs on the stove. She quickly abandonned the muffins. The eggs were clearly over done and were slightly blackened when she flipped them over. All the while, she had been listening to Kyle's recorded voice mail messages on her phone. She knew that he had gone missing and hoped that he would have said something about his whereabouts that could help in the search.

"Something smells good in here."

At the sound of Nate's voice, her heart did an involuntary flip and she gasped causing her cell phone to slip from her shoulder. Liz anticipated it hitting the ground and was already imagining the screen cracking on impact. Instead, it never did hit the ground. At speeds which were nothing less than supernatural, Nate was standing beside her, holding the cell phone in his dirty hand.

"Holy cow! That was awesome!" Shawn marvelled loudly over the music that was playing in his ears. "How did you move that fast?!"

Nate looked over his shoulder at Liz's brother and shrugged.

"I have good reflexes," he told him.

Liz was still concerned over Shawn having seen Nate move faster than a normal human being. In an effort to end the conversation and get Shawn out of the kitchen, she smiled at her brother.

"Shawn, Mom was wanting you to clean the bathroom this morning. You probably should get started."

Her brother rolled his eyes.

"What are you talking about!? No she didn't!"

"Yes, she did. You can go ask her if you want."

With a loud sigh and firmly closing his hand-held video game, Shawn stood up from the table, his chair squeeking loudly against the floor before he disappeared out the patio door to search for his Mom.

Relishing in the fact that they were alone, Nate took a step closer to Liz and held out her cell phone towards her.

"Sorry for scaring you."

Liz softly thanked him and took her cell phone from Nate's hand before she shrugged as she set it screen side down on the counter before turning towards the eggs in hopes of recovering them.

"I'm fine," she told him as she stirred with the spatula. "I wasn't expecting you to just walk in like that."

"Well, I ran into your Mom out back and she said that I could come inside." He paused and looked at what she was making.

"So, this is your breakfast?"

Liz shrugged. "I already ate. I think Mom's making this for Talon. Unfortunately, I'm burning it beyond recognition."

Nate nodded, his stomach growling loudly to the point that Nate put an embarrassed arm over his mid-section hoping to quiet it down. Liz chuckled, hearing it loud and clear.

"I doubt Talon will mind," Nate told her. "We're not that picky when it comes to food."

"Nate, are you hungry? I can put on more if you'd like. And Mom has a huge sheet of bacon she made earlier that I can warm up."

Nate shook his head. "Naw, I'm good."

Sensing that he was lying, Liz put down the spatula and grabbed his hand, folding her fingers between his own. The action caught Nate by surprise but it certainly wasn't unwelcomed. Liz's mind flooded into his own as images from the night before, portions of dreams and thoughts were unveiled to him.

' _What did you have for breakfast?'_

Rather than get an answer, Nate's memories featured his rude awakening earlier that morning to Talon's sneak-attack on his way to her place filled her mind.

With a sigh, she let go of his hand.

"Why didn't you just tell me that you hadn't eaten yet today? I know Talon eats like a horse now and gets quite grumpy when he doesn't eat at regular intervals."

Nate snorted. "Grabbing my hand is cheating. Besides, I don't want you to go out of your way to make me something. I can take care of myself."

"Nate, as much as you're looking out for me, I want to look out for you and if all that means is that I make sure that you're happy and well, then that is what I'm going to do. And I'm going to start by making you breakfast. So, go sit at the table."

As Nate was about to protest, Liz glared at him.

"Nathaneal, sit," she demanded hotly.

Feeling as though he had just been reprimanded, he obeyed. Not only that, but the imprint insisted that he made her happy so Nate followed through with her direction. He sat down at the table, in the seat that Shawn had just abandoned.

"Can I ask who you were talking to on the phone when I came in?"

Liz scrapped the blackened eggs off of the pan and onto a plate before setting it back on the stove top. She grabbed the eggs from the counter and began cracking them on the edge of the pan.

"No one," she replied, with a sigh. "I was just listening to some messages that Kyle had left on my phone last night. I was hoping that they could give us some clues as to where he is."

Nate looked down at the table, tracing his finger along the edge.

"As much as I dislike the guy, I do hope that they find him," Nate said, feeling somewhat guilty about not telling her more about what he knows.

"Me too."

While Liz went back to watching as to not allow Nate's eggs to burn, the sound of the sizzling pan filling the room before the back door opened once again.

"Since when are we feeding strays?" Talon quipped as he walked inside carrying an empty laundry basket. Emily slapped him on the back of the head, a gentle reminder that his younger brother was sulking in after them. While Shawn disappeared into the house to do the work that had been assigned to him, Emily went into the kitchen.

"Nate is always welcome to eat with us," Emily said, as Liz picked up the plate that she had set aside for Talon and nonchalantly passed it to him before he made his way towards the table to eat.

Talon suddenly paused in mid-stride and looked at the plate in his hand.

"What the hell happened to this?"

Liz shrugged innocently. "It's not my fault that I can't multitask like Mom can."

"She did a great job," Emily said, pointedly at Talon who nodded as he lowered his nose to it the plate.

"Smells good enough, I suppose," he grumbled before sitting across from Nate. Seeing him looking at the plate of eggs yearningly, Talon instinctively growled a warning.

"Tal, I'm not going to take your food," Nate assured him. "Liz is making me something."

Talon smirked, scooping food into his mouth. "Oh, is she now?"

Not to his surprise, when Liz brought over the plate that she had made up for Nate, it looked far more delicious than the pile of burned eggs that she had given to her brother.

"I've gotta get myself an imprint that can cook," Talon grumbled as she shovelled the blackened eggs into his mouth.

As he ate, he watched the pair sitting across from him. Although he trusted Nate with his sister's life and had accepted that he had imprinted on Liz, Talon still wasn't liking the fact that they were tied to each other. It was strange to see a boy who only ever saw his sister as a friend suddenly look at her with such love and adoration on his face. He had yet to get into Nate's mind about Liz while they were phased and frankly, he really didn't want to see those thoughts. Watching the pair silently at the table was enough to turn his stomach.

To anyone else watching them, they would have appeared as two people simply eating silently side by side. Yet, while Nate ate as quickly as he could, with a few reminders from Emily to slow down, Liz sat beside him with a warm muffin and a cup of coffee. They didn't say anything to each other but Talon didn't miss those few stollen glances and timid smiles that were made.

"Talon, you have patrol in ten minutes," Emily reminded him from the kitchen as she took out another tray of muffins. "We can go over those word problems later on tonight when you get home."

Talon nodded, looking over at the two across from him before he stood up. Nate was currently looking over at Liz.

"Hey Nate, when's your next shift?"

He could sense Nate's reluctance to pull his attention away from Liz.

"Eleven tonight."

"So, what are your plans for today?" Liz suddenly asked, smiling.

Nate turned back to her and shrugged. "I don't have any plans. I was hoping to spend the day with you actually."

A smile came to Talon's face as the one on Liz's fell.

"Oh, that's too bad," Talon quickly spoke, not a hint of sympathy in his voice. In fact, he was clearly amused by the turn of events. Talon was going to enjoy making Nate's life a little more difficult.

"Liz is babysitting Joy Ateara today."

"It's just so Claire can get some work done around the house without her under foot while Quil is out on patrol with Talon," Liz explained to Nate.

Emily walked out of the kitchen and leaned against the counter, placing the newly baked muffins on a plate.

"Why don't you call them and see if they'd mind if Nate went with you and Joy."

"Where are you going?" Nate asked, genuinely interested.

"I was going to bring Joy to the beach to collect stones and shells. I can call them to see if it's okay. That is, if you want to come along."

Nate smiled and nodded. "I'd love to."

...

Along a deserted road off the highway, Charlie pulled his cruiser along the curb before he and Seth climbed out. With his hand instinctively on his side arm, he walked around to the front of his car.

"You sure you saw them here?"

Seth nodded. "Jared's just a few dozen feet inside the woods."

"What the hell would that Hanson kid be doing all the way out here?" Charlie asked aloud with a sigh as he made his way to the trunk and unlocked his rifle from the gun case. "We're in the middle of no where."

"Charlie, I don't think we're going to be needing any weapons."

"You might be fine going in with nothing but your supernatural abilities, son, but until we know what we're dealing with, I'm making sure that I'm armed."

It was Charlie's first official police business since he had gotten out of the hospital. He was eager and ready to be done the mandatory desk-duty that Sue had requested he put himself on for a short time. Charlie had respected that and was still getting used to the knowing the boys that he had see grow up were mythical creatures from Quileute lore. But as soon as he had heard about Kyle Hanson's disappearance and how he was connected to the Uley family, he was ready to get back to field duty.

Seth nodded and the two walked into the woods silently. Just as Seth had said, Jared met them along the way and led them further through the woods to where Jonah had been waiting. At the same time, Jacob and Sam appeared, barefoot and in cut offs. They nodded to Charlie as they approached while Quil and Paul remained as wolves, watching the area with Jonah while Seth and Charlie slowly moved in.

The truck appeared to be in perfect condition. The windows weren't broken and from what Charlie could tell, there didn't seem to be any cosmetic damage that could indicate an accident. Charlie moved in closer until Seth suddenly stopped and put his arm out beside him, not allowing his step-father any closer to the truck.

"Seth, what's wrong?"

Seth's nose flared as an anger poured over his features that Charlie hadn't ever seen before.

"Leech," he seethed.

As Charlie digested what Seth meant by 'leech', Jacob and Sam quickly moved in, flanking Charlie on both sides while Seth took point.

"Search the area," Jacob said as Jonah, Quil and Jared quickly moved past them.

"The smell is everywhere," Seth stated, bitterly.

Sam nodded. "I notice it now too."

Charlie swallowed, holding his rifle a little tighter although knowing that it would have no affect on any vampires that he would run into.

"Can you tell if the Hanson kid is there?"

Sam paused and shook his head. "I don't hear a heartbeat."

"I can't smell blood either," Jacob added, giving Sam a quick glance.

"He could still be there," Seth reminded them, soberly.

Putting his hand on Seth's shoulder, Jacob moved forward.

"I'll check it out," he told him. "Stay with Charlie."

Seth nodded silently before Jacob slowly walked forward. Every instinct within him begged for him to phase but he knew that all around him, Quil, Jonah and Jared were patrolling the area.

The scent of sweet cotton candy dipped in vinegar permeated the area as he moved in closer. At one point, it was so strong that he covered his nose and mouth and felt himself want to gag. Looking through the window, he saw the front seat was empty before he waved at the others to come join him.

"He's not here," Jacob said. "There's no sign that he was even here."

Quil's wolf ran up to them, and he phased, not bothering to put on his shorts.

"There's nothing out there either," he told them urgently. "No sign of blood or leech. Whomever was here left a twisted trail that's nearly impossible to follow. I think they were moving back and forth from the ground into the trees."

Jacob sighed angrily.

"This is getting too close to home. Regardless if this was the work of the damned Volturi, the Romanians or just a leech passing through, we're going to have to beef up patrols to doubletime."

Charlie sighed, opening the driver's side door.

"So, where could Kyle Hanson be?"

"If he's lucky, he's already dead," Sam said, softly. "If he's somehow alive, he wont be for long."

"Until we have a body, he is still a missing person," Seth told him.

"You may never find a body," Jacob reminded him. "Whomever was here obvious knew what they were doing. They're smart. Kyle could just as well be buried in the ground or at the bottom of the ocean by now."

Charlie ran his hand through his hair and blew through his lips.

"We're going to have to call this one in," he told them. "I don't know if forensics will find anything that you guys missed but in the very least, this empty truck may be enough to give his family something that they really need right now - hope."

...

Joy Ateara was appropriately named. Although her namesake belonged to Quil's Mom, the little girl was a pint-sized explosion of happiness to those around her.

Joy broke out into a fitful of giggles as she ran from the surf that was chasing her up onto the beach. Knowing that she wasn't going to outrun it, Nate quickly grabbed her just as the water was about to swamp her feet. Together they laughed at their antics that had quickly become a game that Joy had instigated. A minute later and they were running again, but this time, Nate purposely slipped and fell forward, letting the cold water run over his bare legs and arms while Joy jumped onto his back to keep herself from getting wet.

"Gidde up!" She shouted, pulling on Nate's shirt collar.

With one hand wrapped around his back to ensure she wouldn't slip down when he stood up, Nate lifted himself up out of the water with Joy on his back.

"Let's go horsey!" Joy exclaimed, encouraging Nate to run up from the waters edge to where Liz had put out a blanket and umbrella, along with Joy's sand toys and snacks.

Liz sat on the blanket, her barefeet extending into the sand while she laughed at the game they were playing.

As they approached her, Nate slowed down before dramatically falling onto his knees and then his hands. With a final groan, Nate collapsed onto his stomach into the sand. For added effect, he closed his eyes. On his back, Joy wiggled and giggled, in an attempt to make her 'horse' move and come back to life.

Liz smiled and put her finger to her lips before leaning forward and crawling towards where Nate had playfully fallen.

"Shh," Liz whispered to Joy. "I think the horse has fallen asleep."

When Nate suddenly let out a loud snore, Joy giggled and leaned over Nate's until she was laying across his wide back. She leaned over to look at his face, her dark hair falling like a sheet over her head and into the sand.

Nate could feel her cold fingers poking at his face and as much as he tried to keep still, a smile grew on his face before his eyes suddenly opened. Joy shrieked in surprise before rolling off of him into the sand.

"You woke me up!" He proclaimed as he rolled over in the sand beside her,

Liz laughed and sat back on her knees before Joy ran into her, wrapping her arms around Liz's neck.

"The horse is hungry," Nate declared.

Smiling, Joy reached for the bag of carrots with her sandy hands that had been sitting on the blanket. For her sake, he took one out and brushed the sand off of it with his shirt before taking a dramatic bite and hummed in delight.

"Joy!"

The little girl sat up upon hearing her name and turned.

"Daddy!" She exclaimed, standing up in the sand before running through it to Quil.

He smiled and scooped her up before walking meeting Liz and Nate partway on the beach.

"How was she today?"

"She was great!" Liz replied, patting Joy's back. "Although she didn't nap today so she'll probably go down for bed tonight for you easily. She was busy running around, dodging waves and building castles in the sand."

Quil smirked. "Sounds like she had a good day."

"Nate is my horsey!" She exclaimed before Nate chuckled.

Quil laughed. "Oh, is he?"

Joy nodded enthusiastically before she put her arms around his neck. Quil patted her back as she nuzzled her head against Quil's neck, a tell-tale sign that she was tired.

"Thanks for watching her for us," he told Liz, and Nate.

"It was no trouble. She's fun to have around."

Quil looked from Liz to Nate, his eyes quickly gesturing to his younger pack brother that he had something to tell him.

Liz seemed to have picked up on that sense and excused herself, saying she needed to get out of the sun and sit under the umbrella. She said goodbye to Quil before turning to head back to where their belongings were.

Quil's smile faded as he watched Liz walk away.

"How much does she know about Kyle?"

"Just that he's missing. Did you guys find anything at his truck?"

Quil sighed and shook his head as he swayed slightly feeling Joy relax on his shoulder, indicating she was falling asleep.

"Just the horrible stench of a leech. There was no sign of Kyle at all. Chances are, he's dead."

Nate cursed under his breath and glanced back at Liz to see her spreading out her blanket into the sunlight now that Joy was going home.

"Enjoy the rest of your afternoon. Your Dad has doubled up the patrols. All we're going to be doing now for the foreseeable future is patrolling, eating and sleeping. I doubt that I have to tell you that Sam asked that you don't leave Liz alone now that we know that there was a leech in the area." He paused for a moment, sighing before he spoke again.

"And you do know that you're going to have to tell her about Kyle."

His head quickly whipped back to Quil.

"Me?"

Quil nodded. "She's your imprint."

"Wouldn't it be better coming from her Mom or Dad? Liz is not going to take it well."

"Believe it or not, you know her better than they do," Quil said softly, keeping his voice low for Joy's sake. "You'll know how to tell her."

Nate ran his hands over his face.

"And Nate, I also wanted to say that I'm sorry about this morning," Quil added, before Nate shrugged.

"It's fine. You had reason to jump to conclusions."

"No man," Quil insisted. "I should have trusted you. You're not only pack but you're family. I just didn't know what to think when I saw how blank your thoughts were."

Nate shrugged. "I would've thought the same thing if it were anyone else. And I meant it when I said everything is fine. Don't worry about it."

To further emphasize that point, Nate outstretched his hand towards Quil. The guy gladly took it and shook his hand, relieved to no longer have the weight of being the reason behind the false accuasations towards Nate resting on his shoulders. With a gentle pat to Joy's back, Quil turned and headed back towards the parking lot where his car was before Nate returned to Liz. She didn't notice he had returned as her eyes were closed.

Nate sat down beside her, the shuffling of the sand causing her to open her eyes.

"Are you okay?" She asked, shielding her eyes from the setting sunlight.

He nodded, looking out towards the horizon before turning his attention back to Liz to see that her eyes hadn't left him. Knowing that he had to tell her, he shook his head.

"I need to talk to you about something."

Hearing the seriousness in his voice and concern in his face, Liz sat up beside him in the sand.

"Okay, what's up?"

Nate looked back out at the ocean, hearing the surf pounding loudly against the sand. He noted the people walking along the beach going for evening walks before he decided that this wasn't the place to tell her. Nate didn't want to have to speak over the ocean for her to hear him and felt that Liz wouldn't want anyone around considering he had a feeling that she wouldn't take it well.

"Not here. Let's go for a walk."

...

"Where are we going?"

"Just a little further," Nate said, careful to ensure that Liz didn't touch him as they walked side by side through the woods on a path that he knew very well just on the eastern side of the reservation. He knew it to be a place that wasn't frequented by visitors and by scent, a perimeter patrol had gone past them less than ten minutes prior and wouldn't be coming through the area again for another half hour.

It was also the place where Liz and Nate had unknowingly had their first encounter with a vampire when they were kids.

Although they were following the river upstream, it was certainly not as loud as the surf of the ocean. Here, it was quiet enough that Nate could hear the crickets beginning to sing as it was nearing dusk.

Recognizing the area, Liz came to a stop. It didn't hold good memories and they had been the bane of her nightmares for years. Liz knew that he must have known it but she couldn't understand his reasoning for bringing her there.

"Why are we here?"

Nate stopped and turned to her.

"I had to tell you something important and I didn't want to tell you on the beach."

Her heart began to race and Nate could hear it over the river beside them. Liz took a careful step back.

"Nate, you're scaring me."

His eyes widened as his heart clenched. He took a step towards her.

"Liz, don't ever be afraid of me. And what I have to say is not to frighten you."

As much as he wanted to take her hands, he knew he had to tell her this verbally. Nate swallowed.

"Liz, they found Kyle's pickup this morning in the woods just off the highway."

Her eyes brightened, realizing that this was good news. But just as quickly as it hit her, the expression on Nate's face told her that this wasn't something to be happy about. A part of her wanted to believe that his concern was based on the fact that there was a possibility that she still held feelings for Kyle. Although she cared about his well-being, Liz had to admit to herself that she no longer felt the same about the guy as she had a few days ago. At the same time, she had been wondering how he was and Nate clearly was aware of that.

"And Kyle? Is he all right?"

"See, that's the thing," Nate told her, looking into her eyes. "He wasn't there."

Nate sighed, seeing Liz's confusion on her face.

"Quil told me that they had picked up a strong scent of a vampire in the truck and around the area. They tracked the smell but lost it in the woods. Based on that and the fact that Kyle was no where to be found, they're assuming that he's...most likely dead."

Tears came to Liz's eyes.

"Dead?" She choked out. "Are you sure?"

"It's still just a guess," Nate said, desperately wanting to comfort her as she quickly turned away from him and inhaled deeply. "They haven't found anything concrete. I'll know more when I join the search and start patrol later tonight."

Liz quickly turned back.

"Then why do you think he's dead?"

Nate sighed. "Liz, there's no way that a vampire would pass by and leave him alive."

"But...but he could be alive," Liz argued, tears now on her face. "He could be out there, in the woods, hurt or...or dying."

She paused. "You...you have to go find him."

"I told you, I'll be joining the search later."

Liz shook her head, allowing a sob to escape from her lips. "This is my fault. If I hadn't let him take off like he did or even told him to stop by the lake...this wouldn't have happened. We could have gone straight home from Port Angeles and nothing would have happened."

Taking two steps forward, Nate pulled Liz towards him, wrapping his arms around her back.

"If you had been with him, you could've been missing right along with him and I...I don't know what I would have done," Nate said, breathing in the scent of her hair beneath his chin to calm his nerves that came with that thought.

With a ragged sigh, an overwhelming wave of guilt washed over him as memories of Liz's argument with Kyle from the night prior rushed into his mind while Liz cried, her head resting against his chest. Knowing that Liz must have put her hands on his back, Nate touched the back of Liz's neck with one of his hands, trying to offer his comfort, sympathy and strength. Liz inhaled strongly, having felt Nate's emotions and her sobs subsided into light hiccups.

"I'm sorry for turning into such a mess," Liz said weakly.

Nate smirked. "You don't ever have to be sorry for being yourself. You care for people, regardless of who they are and what they've done and that's one of the things that I lo..."

He paused, the sentence coming up short on his lips as a strong scent blew up the river towards him. Nate quickly turned, moved to stand in front of Liz and grabbed her hand from behind him. Before she could even question what was going on, she heard his thoughts hit her loud in her mind like an echo.

' _Vampire_.'

* * *

 _ **A/N - Sorry for the delay in updating. We had a holiday weekend(Victoria Day) here in Canada and I was busy all weekend.**_


	31. Chapter 31

**_A/N - I'm so frustrated with FF. It takes forever to save a chapter into the manager and can't seem to handle a high word count chapter. That being said, I have split up this chapter into two, just so that I can upload it. The second portion should be up in a few hours, provided FF agrees with me. I had to write it twice...after moving between the laptop and iPad and accidentally reverting it back to a prior copy. That being said, I was pretty ticked off. So...I really, really hope you like the next few chapters. Please review. ;)_**

* * *

 _Vampire_

The word sent a shockwave of fear and anxiety through Liz's system before she felt an insatiable rage coming from Nate as he glared at the creatures that seemed to be lurking within the darkness of the forest around them. She instinctively tightened her hand around Nate's.

' _Where_?'

' _50 yards or so ahead,'_ Nate replied quickly, his eyes darting left and right. _'Shit. There's more than one.'_

Liz heard him growl and felt his anxiety begin to rise.

 _'I need to phase to let the others know and I can't protect you like this.'_

Nate couldn't help but vibrate in response to his thoughts, his inner wolf desperate for release as his body fought itself for control from phasing so close to his imprint.

' _Liz, I need you to run.'_

Liz's eyes widened and she shook her head, despite Nate's attention being on the woods surrounding them.

' _I'm not leaving you...'_

Nate's thoughts ran into Liz's.

 _'And I'm not going to let you get hurt. I need you to run when I say. I'll stop them from coming after you.'_

Liz was still reluctant but felt Nate's body fight the urge to phase. Quickly he turned to her and let go of her hand before stepping away from her.

"Run," he growled deeply, his body already beginning to shift.

Liz backed away, tears in her eyes before she turned and darted through the dark woods.

Shadows danced around her as snarls and then a loud, pain piercing howl echoed through the forest. She paused momentarily and glanced back, yet saw nothing.

"Nate?" She breathed fearfully, tears filling her eyes. Every fibre of her being wanted to run back to ensure that he was fine. Yet the moment she took a step, her foot had wedged itself beneath an upturned root, causing Liz to fall forward onto the ground, her right wrist breaking her fall.

Liz rolled onto her back as she grabbed ahold of her wrist with her left hand, the throbbing pain instantly taking her breath away. Carefully, she wiggled her fingers and clenched her fist, finding that was painfree and it wasn't until she tried to move her wrist that the pain shot up her arm. Slowly, she stood up, her right wrist cradled against her chest with her other hand. As much as she wanted to run towards the beach, her fear of falling again took precedence and instead, she walked, running her good hand against the trees to steady her footing as she moved through the dense forest.

A snapping of a branch gave her pause. Liz glanced back over her shoulder to see a dark coloured wolf standing beneath a tree. Although the impending night didn't allow her to see the details of the wolf's coat, somehow she knew that it wasn't Nate.

Slightly apprehensive about who it could be, she didn't move. Hearing a huff from the wolf, she watched as it turned and darted back into the woods. Her eyes scanned the forest, waiting to see if it would return. Upon hearing the crunching of leaves and branches, she was relieved when she saw Talon push his way through the brush.

"Liz! You okay?"

She nodded wordlessly as he quickly walked up to her, his eyes on the wrist she was holding protectively against herself.

"Yeah, I..I think so," she replied.

"You're hurt," Talon told her, reaching out gently to look at her wrist that was quickly swelling and turning various shades of purple and blue.

Liz shrugged. "I tripped. How's Nate?"

"Don't worry," he told her, putting his hand on her back to usher her through the woods protectively. "Everything will be fine."

Liz stopped, putting her good hand against his chest. She tried to lock eyes on him, but he was looking everywhere but at her.

She knew him to have a poker face. He couldn't lie without it showing in his expression.

"Tal, what's going on? Where's Nate?"

He sighed, meeting her eyes.

* * *

 **Moments earlier...**

Nate's body vibrated, his shorts and shirt tore into pieces as his body lengthened and muscle tore violently through it. A flash of light to his left caught his eye and the moment that he finished phasing, he turned and grabbed the running vampire by the torso within his strong jaw, and tossed it back into a tree, knocking it over in the process.

' _I need help! Leeches near the southeast edge of the Rez! Liz is here!'_

Nate couldn't concentrate on who responded but felt momentary relief in sensing that someone was on their way.

He snarled as another vampire tried to bypass him to make its way after Liz but he quickly moved and grabbed it by the leg, causing the vampire to drop to the ground with an earth shuddering thud. It quickly twisted and kicked at Nate's muzzle, but he didn't let go. Nate shook it's body and clenched even tighter.

A sudden sardonic smile appeared on the creature's face just as Nate felt a piercing hot pain shoot down his back. He cried out with a howl and whine, releasing his hold on the vampire. The pain was so incredible that his legs nearly gave out as he moved to escape it. His thoughts were on Liz as he knew that if he collapsed that she would be targetted next. The anger in realizing this he gave out another loud howl before he twisted his body in an effort to get the vampire off his back. A long brown haired man leapt forward and landed gingerly on his feet, his hands covered in blood that he knew belonged to him. His long cape swayed down to his feet as the vampire whom Nate had only moments earlier within his jaw stood beside the other. In a blink of an eye, the third that had been thrown into the trees joined the pair.

The brown haired vampire tipped its head to the side, as a smile grew on the creature's pale white face.

"Your tasty girlfriend isn't too far," he told Nate sweetly. "I'll be certain to enjoy her and then we'll return to put you out of your misery." He paused and sneered, looking at his crimson stained hands. "It's a pity that werewolf blood isn't as enticing."

Nate snarled and snapped while he attempted to painfully take a step towards them, his back muscles protesting painfully with the movement before another flash of colour raced past his eyes. His keen eyes were able to follow it and watched as someone grabbed the brown haired vampire by his long mane before he even took a step. Within an instant, his head was on the ground. Within Nate's memory, he recognized him as one of the Cullen's. Behind him, he could see the other two vampires as they cried out violently while they were both quickly overcome by Jared, Paul and Jonah's wolves.

"Nate, relax," Carlisle called out from behind him, his hands raised as he gained Nate's attention from the thoughts in his head and also away from where Jasper was proceeding to burn the severed head along with the body. "You're hurt."

As much as he wanted to relax, his mind was on Liz as he struggled to move his legs forward towards where Liz had taken off from.

' _Nate, listen to the leech!'_ Ryan told him, running up beside him on four legs. ' _Your back looks like you tore through fucking barbed wire. I can't even tell where the blood's coming from.'_

From seemingly out of nowhere, Jacob came up beside Carlisle. His ears were back, feeling the agony that Nate was experiencing as well as his deep concern for Liz. Jacob glanced back at Talon who had come with him, as he stood back, watching the scene and sent him a quick request before the younger wolf leapt back into the woods.

' _Nate! You gotta lay down! We need to help you. Talon's gone after Liz. The leeches are gone. She'll be fine.'_

Feeling the adrenaline begin to drain from his system and the pain rush in, he whimpered before collapsing onto the ground. With an agonizing wail, the wolf phased back to a young man, leaving Nate laying on his stomach as he panted through the pain. Instantly, Carlisle was on his knees at Nate's side. Gently, he put his hands on Nate's back, feeling the edges of the deep gashes down his back. In reaction to his touch, Nate cried out and thrashed before a pair of cold hands held onto his arms, holding them in place.

"Carlisle will help you," Edward told him. "You need to stay still. Your imprint will be all right."

Nate growled under his breath.

Jacob had phased back and was pulling up his cutoffs as he quickly made his way up to Nate, putting his hand on his son's forehead.

"We've got you," he told him assuringly although he was needing just as much assurance at the moment. Jacob looked to Carlisle.

"How bad is it?"

"Looks like he ripped through the right lower and upper left trapezius as well the rhomboid there." Carlisle paused and sighed. "The Latissimus Dorsi is in rough shape as well."

"In English, doc?" Paul said hotly from where he and Seth had appeared over Jacob.

"His back muscles have been mutiliated and torn. He's loosing a lot of blood as well. I need to stitch him up if he's ever going to be able to recover from this."

All the while, Nate panted, each breath moving his back muscles causing further pain. His eyes were pinched shut and his fists were clenched.

"Do what you have to do," Jacob implored to Carlisle, watching Nate beside him.

Carlisle nodded. "As much as I hate to suggest it, we have to move him. It's not safe here."

"Those vampires were from the Volturi. We were tracking three more Volturi guards out in our area," Jasper told Jacob. "We lost them."

"Three?!"

Jacob looked up at Jared who sat on his haunches not too far away beside his son, Jonah.

"Spread the word. I want everyone on deck tonight," he told Jonah before the younger pack member took off running, a howl cutting through the night air.

He turned back to Carlisle. "We'll bring him to Billy's. It's not far."

Suddenly, Bella appeared with Esme and Alice, all three carrying towels. Without saying a word, Carlisle grabbed the towels and placed them on the large gashes, trying to lessen the blood flow. Nate gasped and groaned with his touch. When the doctor was satisfied, Carlisle nodded to Jacob and stood up from where Nate laid on the ground.

"This is going to fucking hurt, Nate," Paul groaned under his breath. He wasn't looking forward to this.

"What other option do we have?" Seth asked, softly as he crouched down on one side of Nate.

He glanced over at Paul and Jacob across from him and Jared beside him before they carefully picked Nate up off the ground.

They all winced, hearing the painfilled moans that emanated from Nate's throat. His face was sweating and his body trembled with the movement that they made as they slowly made their way through the forest. Around them, flashes of colour raced past, both the Cullen's and the wolves, ensuring that their path back through the reservation wouldn't be met with the missing Volturi guard. When they made it to Billy's, the older man was on the porch, having already gotten word that his grandson had been injured. He moved aside, allowing Nate to be carried into his home, Carlisle and Esme moving in behind them. He gasped when he saw the blood dripping onto his linolium kitchen floor.

He instructed them to bring him into the living room.

Jacob and the others moved back, allowing Dr. Cullen space. Esme was at his side, opening his bag and prepared to pass him whatever he'd need.

"Jo is on her way," Billy said softly, moving up beside the men who stood watching the vampire carefully as he pulled the bloodied towels off of Nate's back. "She's dropping the children off at Sam and Emily's. She didn't want them to be alone."

"Rach is heading over there with the kids as well," Paul added softly, after having checked his phone messages. He glanced over at Jared. "So is Kim and Jenna. Embry's bringing his family there too before he goes back on patrol."

Billy sighed, wincing as he heard Nate suddenly groan loudly. Jacob quickly moved to Nate's side, grabbing his hand and squeezing it tightly.

"Oh my god, this fucking hurts," Nate panted through his clenched jaw. Beads of sweat ran over his forhead and onto the floor beneath his cheek.

"Is there anything you can give him?" Billy asked, hopeful.

"Anything I give will be burned off with his body heat before it even has the chance to take the edge off," Carlisle replied grimly, as he began to pull the deep tissue together with sutures.

Nate cried out, his eyes squeezed tight. His body flinched from the pain and Carlisle quickly shouted for help in holding him. The men swiftly moved in, speaking words of assurance to Nate as they forcefully held him down. Paul let out more than a few choice curses as he endured the torture of holding down his nephew. Jacob leaned his forehead down to Nate's and whispered comforting prayers in Quileute through his lips. Behind him, Billy was doing the same thing.

When the front door burst open, he turned to see Jo, her hair windblown and her face flushed.

"Oh my god," she gasped, the scent of blood hitting her like a wave. "Nate?!"

Seth moved aside, allowing Jo to sit down where he had been by Nate's head. She ran her hand comfortingly over his sweat matted hair, not even certain that he was aware that she was there. When Nate suddenly relaxed and his muscles seemed to no longer be so tight, Jo's anxiety rose.

"Nate?!" She exclaimed, nudging his face, and finding no response. Jacob sensed her panic and looked over at Carlisle.

Carlisle shook his head. "He passed out."

"The pain must have been too much," Paul deduced, letting go of Nate's leg.

"Based on his heart rhythm, I'd suspect it was from blood loss," Carlisle stated, as he continued to work on Nate's back. Esme dabbed away the blood so he could better see the ridges of the gashes. "His body is doing what it can to recover."

Jo swallowed. "Will he?"

Carlisle momentarily looked up at Jo, feeling her question weigh heavily in the air. "I hope so."

No one spoke for a while after this. While most of the pack returned to patrol, Jacob, Jo and Billy sat beside Nate until the final suture was in place. In the end, four large gashes stretched down Nate's back from his shoulder to his lower back. Carlisle placed bandages over the sutures while Esme pulled the sheet up higher from Nate's waist where they had placed it to offer Nate some modesty.

"He's not out of the woods yet," Carlisle said, packing up his things and taking another glance at the young man seemingly asleep on the living room floor. "But I'm remaining positive considering that he's alive right now."

Jacob held out his hand towards Carlisle.

"Thank you," he said softly. "I don't know how I can repay you."

Carlisle smiled. "No payment necessary. I've always been fond of your son since the moment I held him in my arms. I protected him then with my life and I'd do it again. My family is willing to do what we can to ensure the protection of your people against the Volturi."

Jacob nodded. "I appreciate that."

A knock at the door caught all of their attention. Billy being the closest to it, opened the door.

"Liz, oh my dear, are you all right?"

While Billy backed up, Liz walked in with Talon and Sam behind her.

"I'm fine," she replied. "I was looking for Nate. No one is telling me anything."

"And we were hoping that Dr. Cullen was still here and could take a look at her wrist," Sam added softly, before his eyes spotted Carlisle standing with Jacob. He paused and glanced over to where Nate was laying on the ground behind them, unmoving.

No one had said anything concrete to Liz. No one wanted to upset her and in turn cause Nate to become distressed being that his imprint was upset. All Nate had known was that Liz was safe and it was enough for him. It was what had concerned him and they had alleviated that concern. Liz on the otherhand had been drilling Talon with questions, most of which he had no answers for. He didn't tell her the extent of Nate's injuries, just that he had been hurt. Sam had seen the full extent of it, having been phased as he patrolled near his home and saw the thoughts of the wolves before they phased in order to carry Nate back to Billy's.

Looking at Nate's pale, and sickly looking face, Sam would have sworn that Nate was dead on the ground. Blood stains saturated Billy's old brown carpet in the living room and an air of stillness hung in the air within Billy's home. But within that stillness, he could hear a low and steady heart beating. But Liz was already presuming the worst.

Liz shook her head, a mantra of 'No's being repeated over and over as she pushed her way past Billy, tears threatening to pour down her face. Sam quickly moved and put himself between Liz and Nate, before wrapping his arms around her.

"He's okay," Sam whispered over and over into her ears. Liz's tearfilled eyes were locked on Nate's still form. "He's alive. I can hear his heartbeat."

Liz broke her eyes away from Nate and looked at the concerned expressions of Jacob, Jo and a man whom she didn't recognize.

"What happened?"

Jacob looked at Sam, unsure about how much he should tell her. Seeing Sam nod slightly, he explained, watching as Liz's eyes didn't leave from Nate's still form. Tears came down her cheeks and she felt her Dad squeeze her good hand as they explained how Nate had gotten hurt. She held her swollen hand against her chest and gently used her fingers to wipe the tears from her cheeks.

"Were you injured?" Carlisle suddenly asked, gesturing to her colourfully bruised wrist.

"I tripped," she replied weakly before sniffing.

"I can take a look at it, if you'd like."

She paused for a moment before nodding.

She didn't even feel the cool fingers of Dr. Cullen as he gently probed her wrist for signs of fracture. Her eyes were focused on Nate. Carlisle noticed her attention on the young man and smiled.

"It's not broken," he told her. "Just a bad sprain. Keep ice on it and take it easy."

Sam said his thanks before Carlisle suggested to her to go sit with Nate.

Esme smiled at Liz and told her that although his normally russet skin looked bruised around where they had bandaged his back, she assured her that it would look much better in the morning. While Jacob, Jo, Sam and Talon saw Carlisle and Esme to the door, Billy watched as Liz sat down beside Nate and gently slipped her good hand into his. When a small smile came to Liz's face, Billy smirked.

"What did you see?"

"He's dreaming," she replied. "He's at the beach."

"You're welcome to stay here tonight," Billy told her. "I'm certain that your presense here will help him recover faster."

She nodded her thanks, completely oblivious to the conversations going on around her. In time, Sam and Talon went back on patrol while Jacob brought Jo back to Sam's before joining them.

With the pillow that Billy had given her, Liz eventually laid down on the ground beside Nate. She watched Nate's face in the dim room, his bangs hanging slightly over his forehead from being wet with sweat. Turning onto her side, she brushed them away from his face. Her eyes landed on his mouth, his lips full and parted as he breathed evenly. Gently, her fingers traced his lips, feeling the heat of his breath on her skin. Thoughts of story books and the healing power of a kiss came to her mind.

She had never kissed Nate, at least not in the sense that it meant something to both of them. As much as she wanted test that childhood fantasy for herself, she settled for his cheek until he was well.

"Come back to me," she whispered into his ear before settling back on the pillow. She moved in closer to him, his arm brushing along her leg before she once again slipped her hand into his relaxed grasp. Their faces were a mere foot apart before Liz closed her eyes, feeling sleep and Nate's thoughts tugging at her.

 _Nate's thoughts were still featuring the beach, the rolling of the waves and the warmth of the sunshine setting the scene. He laid on the sand, his arms folded behind his head while his eyes were closed as he basked in the sun. Finding herself slowly falling asleep, Liz joined Nate in his dream. She sat down beside Nate, brushing her leg against his own, gaining his attention. Nate's eyes opened and focused on her._

 _'It's strange to think, but I think I'm falling love with you,' she told him._

 _A bright smile appeared on his face._

 _'Or, maybe deep down, you were always in love with me and you only needed something drastic to prove it to you.'_

 _Liz smirked and nodded._

 _'Don't you ever leave me.'_

 _'You couldn't keep me away.'_

 _Feeling emboldened and knowing that this was all just a dream, Liz pushed Nate back onto the sand and leaned over him, brushing her lips against Nate's. Her hair fell over them like a curtain. Her hair tickling his face, he chuckled against her lips before Nate wrapped his arms around her and rolled, his arm still under her neck as he laid beside her._

 _'You kissed me,' Nate said, surprisingly._

 _The moment that it was thought, Liz reached up and pulled Nate's neck back down towards her, pressing her lips back to his._

 _Within an instant, a light flashed and the scenery changed to that dream in the dark forest that Liz and Nate had shared weeks ago. With Liz's back to the tree, Nate kissed her with a passion that she had never felt before. His lips were soft and the scent of his skin enveloped her. Liz ran her fingers through his hair before she felt Nate's fingers brush the skin around her waist. His kisses went down her neck and centred around her shoulder. A deep growl emanated from his chest as he inhaled._

 _'You smell so good,' Nate told her, his voice low. 'I want to keep you with me forever.'_

 _'You know that this is only a dream,' Liz told him. 'You need to wake up.'_

 _Nate raised his head, not entirely believing her. Yet a smile appeared on his lips as he shook his head._

 _'Not when I'm having the best dream ever. Stay with me.'_

 _He leaned in and kissed her lips once again, sucking on her bottom lip as Liz ran her hands up his chest. Liz chuckled against his lips, feeling his fingers tickle up her back._

 _'We can't stay here,' she told him breathlessly._

 _Nate smirked and traced his nose along her cheek before he whispered in her ear, 'we could if you wanted to.'_

 _'This isn't real. As much as I enjoy kissing you, you're not real. This is all in our minds.'_

 _Nate stared at her, skeptical before she sighed._

 _'Watch.'_

 _The scenery around them changed, bringing them back to the beach, this time beneath a starlight sky._

 _'How...?'_

 _'I changed it,' she told him._

 _'And I'm dreaming,' Nate said, as though he suddenly realized it. 'But then, where are we really?'_

 _'At your grandfather's house,' Liz told him. 'You were hurt. Vampires attacked you.'_

 _Once again the scene changed to the woods, Nate standing in front of Liz just as they were when they had encountered the vampire._

 _'I remember,' he told her before reaching over his shoulder. 'The vampire was on my back. He threatened your life. I tried to stop it but...'_

 _'I'm fine,' she assured him, turning in front of him. "But, I need you...to wake up for me. I might have left you when we were surrounded by vampires, but I'm not leaving you now.'_

 _'I don't want to leave you. I love you.'_

 _Liz reached out and grabbed his hand, squeezing it._

As the scenery changed once again, Liz felt herself floating before she woke with a gasp. She saw Sue's kind smile looking down at her as she knelt down on the ground on the otherside of Nate. Liz turned her head and saw a pair of brown eyes looking back at her.

"I meant what I said," Nate told her weakly, his voice cracking.

Upon hearing Nate's voice, Jacob quickly came into the room, Charlie, Billy and Sam following behind. Liz sat up, shifting to look at Nate.

"He's awake?"

"Seems that he is, as is Liz," Sue said, with a smirk, glancing at Liz. "Sorry if I woke you."

Liz shook her head. "No, that's fine."

"I, for one, was enjoying my dream," Nate stated, causing Liz to look down at him beside her. She smiled before looking at Nate's back. Sue had removed good portion of the bandages and the edges of the skin were already fusing together.

"I'm going to have to cut most of these stitches out," Sue said. "With your accelerated healing, you'll be completely fine before these even have a chance to disolve. They'll be driving you nuts before long."

Nate groaned, moving his arms slightly and letting go of Liz's hand that he had been holding.

"Do you want to try sitting up?" Jacob asked.

Nate nodded. After having Sue and Liz leave the room, Jacob and Sam helped to slowly get Nate to his knees and then to his feet. Liz could hear Nate's groans of pain with the movement.

At one point, Sue looked over at Liz and noticed her swollen wrist. With a smile, she reached into Billy's freezer and passed her an ice pack with the assurance that she'll wrap it before she leaves.

In time, Nate was finally sitting in the old wooden rocking chair as it was the only thing in the room that offerred the most support. Being that he wasn't clothed at all, Sam placed the blanket that had been covering him over Nate's lap.

"It's a shame that I don't have shorts here that you can wear," Billy told him as Charlie stood beside him.

"I'll run home and get some," Jacob assured him with a smile while Liz and Sue came back into the room. Nate's eyes searched out for Liz and he smiled.

"Well, I better head off," Charlie said. "We've still got that missing person report on Kyle Hanson to handle right now."

Liz sighed, remembering Nate telling her about him.

Charlie looked to Jacob.

"Let me know if you fella's find anything."

Jacob nodded. "Will do. And be safe out there. We're still tracking down those three vampires that we ran into."

"No need to worry. I'm working with Seth today."

Jacob smirked. The pack was down one member with Seth working but he knew that it made Sue feel reassured should they come across any of the Volturi outside of La Push. It also gave them eyes and ears within the police department.

"I'll let you know if we come across anything."

Charlie walked past Sue, kissing her lips before heading out the door to his cruiser out front. At the same moment as he opening the door, Jared came running in, out of breath. He barely apologized to Charlie before turning his attention to Jacob.

"Jake, the Cullen's are on the eastern boundary. They want to talk with you. They've got information."

Nate made a motion to move and winced, instantly regretting it.

"You stay put," Jacob ordered firmly as he pointed directly at Nate, following Sam and Jared out the door. Charlie stood at the door, somewhat confused as the three large men passed by him.

He stared at them and then back at Billy.

"Did he just say _Cullen's_?"


	32. Chapter 32

_**A/N - And here's part two that I wrote twice...don't get me started on that again...**_

* * *

Sue had called Seth at the station, informing her son that Charlie would be arriving late to work. Jared's little slip of the tongue had brought up many questions, most of which Billy was trying to answer as best as he could without saying too much. But Charlie was tenacious and wasn't about to let it go.

The pair was sitting outside on the porch, while Liz, Sue and Nate sat quietly inside. While Liz and Sue strained to hear the conversation outside, Nate could hear it all, as clear as day.

"Dammit, Billy," Charlie said as he stood up and began to pace on the grass. "You're telling me that you knew where Bella was all along?!"

Billy shook his head. "I didn't know where she was. All I knew was that she was with them. I knew as much about that as you did."

"But you knew that they were back."

It was a statement, not a question.

"Why didn't you tell me?!"

"Because I was trying to protect you."

Charlie rolled his eyes and turned around to face away from Billy, feeling his anger rise. He quickly turned back, tears in his eyes.

"You know that I spent years of my god-damned life looking for Bella and when the family that she had been living with suddenly shows back up in the area, you don't tell me a damned thing about it!?"

"It's more complicated than that," Billy argued. "I didn't want you to get hurt."

Charlie scoffed.

"We're talking about Bella! My own child, Billy! How would you feel if you never saw Jacob or Rachel again?!"

"This is different."

"How? How is this so different?"

Billy sighed. "Because Bella has changed. She isn't the same girl that walked into your house when she was 17 years old. In many ways, she would look to be the same, but she isn't."

Charlie rolled his eyes. He was getting frustrated.

"Enough with the riddles, old man. Where is she?"

"I don't know."

Charlie paused as he recalled Jared's words. "The wolf pack is meeting with them. Where is this eastern boundary?"

Billy shrugged. "Honestly, Charlie, I don't know. I'm not part of the pack."

He paused and looked up at the closed front door. "But I know who is."

Within three seconds of those words being spoken, the front door opened and Charlie stalked his way towards Nate.

"Nate, I need to know where this eastern boundary is," Charlie demanded, putting on his best interrogation tone within his words.

"I'm sorry Charlie," Nate said. "But I can't tell you that."

Charlie sighed deeply and put his hands on his hips.

"Son, one way or another, you're going to tell me."

"Charlie!" Sue exclaimed, appalled by her husband's behaviour.

"Sue, for some reason that Billy wont say, the wolves are meeting with the Cullen's right now. I find the Cullen's, I find Bella."

Nate shook his head. "Charlie, I can't let you go near the Cullen's."

"Like hell you can't," Charlie seethed while a growl errupted from Nate's throat. It caught not only Charlie by surprise but also Billy, who instantly chastised his grandson for uttering an animalistic threat towards family.

"He has no idea what he is asking," Nate explained bitterly. "Does Charlie even know that they are the reason why my Dad and Uncle and all the others are the way they are?! They started it all."

Charlie looked between Nate and Billy. Billy put his head into his hand.

"I don't understand," he said softer. "What is he talking about?"

Billy sighed and glared at Nate before turning back to Charlie.

"The Cullen's, aren't exactly your normal family."

Charlie snorted. "I gathered that when I first me them. I always thought it was strange how Dr. Cullen adopted all those kids."

"Yeah, well," Billy began, rubbing his chin, "that's not even the half of it."

With that, Billy began to explain the legends and how they pertained to the Cullen family. At one point, Sue insisted that Charlie sit down on the couch. She sat beside him, holding his hand tightly. Even Liz hadn't heard the entire story behind their involvement in the very first pack at the turn of the 20th century.

"And, uh...Bella knew all this?"

Billy nodded.

"Why didn't you tell me?"

"People who know about the existence of vampires are in danger of the Volturi coming to eliminate them. For the Quileute, it is part of our mythos as well as our reality. The Volturi know that we are aware of their existence, but they also know we have a pretty resilient force against them as well."

"How did Bella know about them?"

There was a pause before Nate spoke up.

"My Dad told her the legend of Ephraim Black and she put it all together."

Charlie shook his head. "And how did she manage to not be killed by the Volturi?"

Billy paused causing Charlie to worry.

"She is okay, right? I mean, you'd tell me if she wasn't still alive, right?"

"Depends upon your definition of _alive_ ," Nate mumbled, which earned him a well deserved pointed glare from both Sue and Billy.

"What does he mean?"

Billy sighed. "Charlie, when I told you that Bella has changed, I meant it. She's not the same girl that you knew. She's just like them now."

"I beg your pardon?"

"Fifteen years ago, Bella chose to become like them - a vampire."

* * *

Except for the time when Nate was experiencing a severe asthma attack, they had never seen Charlie move so quickly. The chief of police was in the bathroom, loudly hurling up his breakfast.

Sue stood outside the door with a glass of water, to which she passed into his open hand the moment the door opened. His face was still pale and sickly looking, but the shade of green that his skin had turned after learning that Bella was a vampire was gone.

"You okay, Chief?" Billy asked, adding a teasing banter despite the seriousness of the previous conversation.

"If any of your kids or grandkids ever become a blood thirsty creature, then I'll ask you the same question."

Billy smiled weakly.

"Well, blood thirsty? No. But shape shifting creature of myths, I can certainly relate to."

Charlie chuckled for the first time and it gave Billy a little hope.

"But remember, the Cullen's are not like your usual vampires. They only kill animals for blood."

Charlie ran his hand through his hair. "That's supposed to make me feel better?"

Billy shrugged. "I suppose you're right."

"But Kyle Hanson," Charlie began, glancing at Liz sitting beside Nate. "He was killed by a different kind?"

"Since we know there are Volturi in the area, it was most likely them," Nate stated. "The Cullen's are working with us to eliminate the Volturi threat to the area."

Charlie leaned over, his head between his hands and groaned.

"Do you need to use the bathroom again?" Sue asked, rubbing his back comfortingly.

With a sigh, Charlie shook his head. "This is just a lot to take in. I need to see Bella."

He looked over at Nate.

"Could you see if your Dad could arrange for me to see her sometime?"

Nate looked quickly from Billy back to Charlie. "I can ask him."

Charlie nodded wordlessly.

* * *

The Cullen's waited. While some paced anxiously, others stood unmoving. Their eyes moved to scan the woods around them in anticipation of the wolves arrival. They knew that there was strong possibility that the meeting would not go well, considering the news they were about to share. They could only expect a strong reaction to learning that more vampires were coming.

As one, a group of three shapeshifters walked barefoot out of the woods. Jacob was in the middle and was flanked on either side by Sam and Jared. Although they knew there was nothing to fear with the Cullen's, their instincts screamed at them to phase and destroy. The mixed scent of vinegar and cotton candy wafted through the open space. Thoughts and reassurances that these were the same vampires who had recently saved Nate's life were a good reminder.

Jacob stepped up in front of Carlisle who nodded in greeting.

"You said that you had information."

"We have some news that should be brought to your attention. We have had contact from members of the Romanian Coven. They're here."

Jared began vibrating with the words.

"We should have known better than to trust the Cullen's!" He growled, his body threatening to explode.

Carlisle took a step back, while Jacob put out his hand to hold the angry shape shifter back while Sam worked to calm Jared down.

"They have assured us that they mean none of you any harm," he told them. "They would like to assist us in defeating the Volturi once and for all."

"Why? How do you know that you can trust what they're saying?" Jacob asked.

"I heard their thoughts," Edward told him. "They want to regain control of the vampire world that they had lost to the Volturi over 1000 years ago."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "So, they help us kill a ruling group of vampires just so that we can help to put another group in control? You must think we're idiots."

Alice snorted, earning her a chastising glare from Esme. Carlisle sighed.

"I can see how it looks," he said, softly. "But they have no desire to come against your people. While the Volturi search out to collect vampires and creatures with supernatural ability, the Romanians do not."

"Still, I don't know if I can agree to this," Jacob told him. "While this decision would affect only a portion of your existence, I have to consider the future of my tribe; my grandchildren and great-grandchildren. How would our alignment with these Romanians affect my people?"

"I understand," Carlisle told him. "And if I were in your position, I would have difficulty coming up with a decision as well."

"Jake, your pack is small compared to the number of members that the Volturi have at their disposal," Edward told him. "Even with our help, there is a real possibility that you will not succeed."

He paused and looked over at Alice. She walked forward and sighed.

"I had a vision nearly an hour ago," she told him. "It was spotty and hard to see clearly, and I suspect it's due to your involvement. A wave of red consumed the forest and everything in it. I saw Aro standing over Billy."

A growl erupted from Sam's throat and this time, Jacob didn't tell him to relax. The same image in his mind caused anger to rise up within him. He breathed deeply, attempting to abate it.

"You say that you can trust the Romanians?"

Carlisle nodded curtly. "I do. Although their methods may be inhumane, they have no qualms against your people and are willing to fight beside you."

Jacob glanced at Jared and Sam on either side of him, a silent conversation being passed before he looked back at Carlisle.

"Arrange a meeting with them then," he said through his clenched teeth, dreading the idea. "No where near the reservation though."

"Of course," Carlisle told them.

"And they are to hunt outside of the state," Jacob added. "If any of them choose to hunt within Washington, we won't hesitate to kill."

Carlisle nodded in agreement. "I'll inform them."

* * *

The meeting was the next evening.

Jacob, Paul, Sam and Jared attended and as agreed, it was held nearly 500 miles outside of La Push. Upon seeing the pair of Romanian leaders, the four were convinced that this coven was easily the most stereotypical group of vampires they had ever seen. They were the full embodiment of what they believed vampires to be like. To put it plainly, they were creepy and were quite possibly who Dracula had been personified after. The scent that they gave off was far worse than anything they had ever smelled. Jared had wondered if it had to do with the fact that they were so old and possibly were beyond decay.

The pack remained in their wolf form during the entire meeting and allowed Edward to translate. When the topic came up about the Romanians being concerned about the pack being unable to discern who was a member of the Volturi and who was not, the solution became a sachet of lemongrass worn around the Romanians neck. It wasn't the most comfortable agreement, but it was one that Jacob felt that he could live with in order to give his pack and tribe their best chance at survival.

The details of the meeting weighed heavily on Jacob well into the next day and while he was consumed with worry about that, Nate's concern was on a completely different matter.

He had locked himself up in the bathroom and was busy doing up his dress shirt. His fingers fidgeted with the buttons, causing him to groan a few times in frustration. Never in his life did he think something a simple as being invited over for dinner at the Uley's house would cause him so much anxiety.

Jo knocked on the door.

"Are you needing any help in there?"

"No, I'm good."

Since he had come home two days prior, Nate had taken to getting dressed in the bathroom in order to not allow Liam to see the healing scars on his back. The last thing he needed was his little brother to ask questions.

Nate looked up at himself in the mirror, his hair was still wet from his shower. Quickly, he grabbed a towel and dried it before dropping it onto the counter and making his way out into the hallway.

"It's just the Uley's, Nate," Liam said as he passed his brother in the hallway. "I don't know why you're getting so dressed up."

Nate grunted before he made his way into the bedroom and began searching his dresser.

"Your brother is right," Jacob said from the door. "I don't know why you're so worried. We've had dinner at the Uley's countless times."

Nate found a belt and snaked it around his waist and through the belt loops.

"This is different. It's like I'm the boyfriend that they feel that they can interrogate and intimidate now."

Jacob chuckled.

"You are the boyfriend."

"Not officially. Right now, I'm just the imprinter and that's just ten times worse."

"How so?"

"I know that Sam isn't really happy about me imprinting on Liz," he admitted. "Talon I can handle. But when it comes to Sam, he's bigger and stronger. I feel like if I just look at her the wrong way, he'll kill me."

Jacob laughed and rolled his eyes, before moving in to sit on Nate's bed.

"He won't kill you. If he did, I'd have to kill him and the pack would then be in for a world of chaos."

"I'm serious, Dad."

"So am I," Jacob quickly retorted. "Sam's a protective guy and I can imagine knowing that Liz's life is now tethered to someone who isn't himself has to be rough. I know that his head is locked up tight when he's phased, but I know him well enough to tell you that he trusts you with her life. Give him time."

Jacob paused and smiled.

"And just relax and be the kid they've always known."

He pushed himself off the bed and began to make his way towards the door. "And get moving. You have fifteen minutes. You don't want to be late."

Nate glanced down at the digital clock beside his bed and saw that it was getting close to six, when he assured Liz that he'd be there for.

The ride down the road to the Uley's seemed shorter than usual. Before he knew it, Nate was turning off the ignition in the car. His anxiety level rose higher as he picked up the small arrangement of flowers that Jo had grabbed in town for him earlier that day. Nate took deep breaths as he made his way up to the front door, mentally telling himself to relax as he looked down at his Dad's shoes on his feet. He had borrowed them and the khaki dress pants as well as the buttoned down shirt. Nate hadn't had the chance to buy clothes for himself since his growth spurt except for a few t-shirts and the pairs of cut off shorts that circulated around the pack.

He knocked on the door and waited. Inside, he could hear shouting before footsteps approached the door. Emily opened it up and smiled, as the scents of their impending dinner breezed out the door.

"Oh, Nate! Come on in. It's great that you're able to join us," she said politely, before quickly heading back into the kitchen, citing that she was afraid a pot was going to boil over. Nate watched as Sam walked into the kitchen and kissed Emily's lips before turning to him.

"Liz is getting ready. She says she'll be out shortly."

From across the room, Talon walked in and snorted as he headed to the table.

"Unlikely. She said that a half hour ago."

He leaned forward and grabbed a breadstick from the basket on the table.

"Nice flowers, Black," he said teasingly with a wink, before taking a loud, crunching bite.

Despite hearing Nate growling at her son under his breath, Emily came up to his side and glared momentarily at Talon. She turned to Nate and smiled, taking the small bouquet of flowers from his large hands.

"They're lovely, Nate. I'll put them in some water for her," she told him before turning back to Talon.

"And you know the rules - no eating until we're all sitting down."

The smile on Talon's face faded when he felt a swift slap to the back of his head followed by his father's stern words in his ear. "Put it down."

Nate smirked while Talon obediently put the breadstick down on his plate.

When he heard the sound of a door opening down the hallway, Nate could already smell the sweet scent call to him. His eyes locked on Liz as she came around the corner and a smile came to her face.

While Emily told Liz to go sit down at the table beside Nate, his eyes never left hers. He had no idea what she wore or the colour of her shirt. Only the food being set in front of him was enough to pull his attention away from her.

Conversations played out around them while they ate. Nate had trouble concentrating with Liz sitting so closely to him. Sam seemed to notice this and smiled weakly. Knowing what was coming to the tribe and against the pack, he couldn't help but think that there was a real possibility of Liz's heart breaking. He had seen a change in her since Nate's accident a few days prior. She had been panic stricken when she wasn't aware of what had happened to him. Only the assurance that he'd bring her to him calmed her down. And Sam knew that the reality that she could have lost him, weighed heavily on her.

Sam turned to Talon as he animatedly described the final play in the last inning of the Mariner's game the night prior. They had been close to getting into the western conference and provided they kept their best players, they had a good chance at getting into the championship next year.

"We have to get ourselves some season opener tickets next spring," Talon stated, looking over at Sam. He smiled.

"That's nearly six months away," Sam said, glancing over at his youngest son, Shawn while he ate, completely oblivious to the world he lived in. "There's a lot going on between now and then."

He meant his words to have a double meaning, and everyone except for Shawn caught it.

"Yeah, there's Thanksgiving and Christmas," Shawn stated, happily, shovelling mashed potatoes into his mouth before quickly excusing himself to go to the bathroom.

Sam looked after his son before sighing. The possibility of Shawn phasing weighed heavily on him as well. The boy always had a large appetite but with more vampires coming to the area, it greatly increased his chances as well as many other boys on the reservation.

Emily smiled at Nate and was finally able to ask the questions she had been wondering about since he arrived. Since Shawn had momentarily left the table, she felt that she could.

"Nate, how have you been feeling?"

"Better," he replied, knowing that she was referring to his back. He rolled his shoulders, feeling the taut muscles pull. "The muscles are still tight but they're getting there. Sue has yet to give my Dad the go ahead for me to phase and get back on patrol. It probably still looks worse than it feels. I can't wait to stretch my legs again."

"You need to take it slow," Sam warned him. "Your Dad had a painful phasing for the first time after he had gotten half his bones crushed by a vampire a few years before you were born."

Nate nodded. He recalled Jacob telling him the same thing.

While Shawn returned, Nate felt Liz's good hand brush against his leg. He caught her eye before he discreetly slid his hand down his leg and gently took her hand.

 _'I'm glad you're feeling better.'_

Her thoughts and feelings of relief poured into him as memories of his lifeless body laying on the ground, a blood stained floor around him. Nate took a deep breath and squeezed her hand lightly, offering comfort as he wished he could erase those memories from her mind.

As the evening progressed and it got later, it got time for Nate to head home. Sam would be heading out for patrol and he wanted his family inside and settled for the night so that he could feel comfortable enough to leave them for his rounds. Liz told her parents that she'd walk Nate out to his car. When she opened the door, there was a crisp chill in the night air and the scent of Autumn hung in the trees. Liz pulled on her hooded sweater over her shoulders before turning on the outside porch light, illuminating the front yard. The crickets chirped while the only other sound that was heard was the crunching of their feet over the gravel driveway as they made their way towards the Rabbit. Nate's arm brushed past Liz's before he felt her hands catch his own.

He smiled, hearing her thoughts open up to his own. Warmth coursed up her arm from his hand before they came up to the small Rabbit where Nate had parked in the shadow of Sam's pick up.

 _'You're so beautiful,_ ' Nate's thoughts collided into her mind.

Liz looked down at the gravel beneath her feet and she blushed. Having been told those words audibly in the past and sensing the emotion with the thought were two completely different things. Feeling Nate's emotions that accompanied those words was overwhelming. She had no doubt in her mind that he meant it and believed it wholeheartedly.

Flashes of a memory being on the beach before it altered and became visions of them kissing swam within her mind before they quickly disappeared.

 _'Ask,'_ echoed loudly in his mind.

Nate chuckled, letting go of her hand and running his hand over his neck nervously. He glanced back at her house.

"You do know that there are two wolves inside your house who have some exceptional hearing," Nate reminded her with a smile, taking a step towards her.

Boldly, she reached up and slid her hand down his arm, feeling the goosebumps that rose in reaction to her touch. She took his hand once again, rather enjoying their personal method of communicating. Nothing was hidden and fears were transparent.

' _Don't worry about my Dad. I want you.'_

With a small smile, Nate reached up with his other hand and brushed her straight dark hair away from her face before he leaned in to her. Liz waited with anticipation, her heart beating loudly in her chest that for a while, that's all Nate could hear. At the last possible moment, he shifted and his lips brushed her cheek. Liz breath hitched, hearing a crackling of a kindling fire explode in her ears with the sensation on her face. Nate's cheek grazed along her own, the scent of his skin invading her senses before she felt him whisper huskily into her ear.

"Can I kiss you?"

 _'Don't need...no need to ask me again.'_

Nate smirked, hearing her mind try to convey a thought that made sense.

Slowly, he leaned in, seeing her eyes close before he moved even closer. Nate closed his eyes, hearing her breath hitch once more before his senses exploded further when her lips finally touched his own.

The crackling sensation popped in Liz's ears as a wave of ecstasy washed over her. Shared thoughts and strong emotions washed over them. Feelings of attraction, adoration and love exploded.

The kiss lasted for only a second but both broke apart as though they were hit with a sudden shock of electricity.

Nate looked at Liz and saw something in her eyes that he hadn't ever seen before; desire.

He was about to question what had just happened when Liz boldly reached up and wrapped her arms around his neck, pulling herself closer until she was flush with Nate's body. With her hands on the back of his head, weaving their way through his hair, Liz reached up on her toes and brought her mouth to cover his with a passion that she didn't even realize she had within her. For a reaction that should have startled her, she couldn't get closer to him; couldn't get enough of him.

Nate reacted with equal fervour, his hands running down Liz's back before he rested them on her hips, the heat of his hands seeping through the fabric of her skirt. He couldn't hold back the growl that erupted from his throat when Liz nipped at his bottom lip. Slightly shocked at his instinctive reaction, he apologized against her kisses, yet he wasn't even certain that he had spoken the words aloud.

He could feel his inner wolf's desire to become dominant and he held it back with forced restraint. At the same time, he could feel it purr, pleased to know that its imprint was responding to him.

Nate reached up and tangled his hands within her hair, before he began a trail of hot kisses form her lips and down her neck, tasting the skin as he went along. Nate felt Liz tremble in pleasure and let out a moan before she tipped her head to the side. The moment that he came to where her neck met her shoulders, Nate's teeth grazed her skin above her collar bone. He could feel a satisfying growl demand to escape from his lips and his hands began to vibrate. An uncontrollable instinctual desire washed over him and with much force, he pulled himself away from Liz.

Liz turned her head towards him in concern, seeing Nate clench his fists as he took deep breaths. Slowly and carefully, she wrapped her hand around his fist.

"Nate?"

"Ugh...sorry," he said weakly and with a chuckle, not wanting to look up at her.

"What's wrong?"

He shook his head, and spoke out, his voice sounding tortured. "I can't do it."

"Do what?"

"It's um...a wolf thing," he replied. "I heard that it was hard to resist but I didn't think it would be this hard. I don't want to purposely hurt you."

Liz moved closer to him, causing Nate to take a step back, his back bumping into Sam's pickup.

"You won't hurt me," she assured him. "I know that."

Nate shook his head, looking at her painfully. "You don't understand. You don't know how hard it is for me to..." He breathed through his lips and looked over at the house, knowing that there was a good possibility that they were being overheard.

Liz looked over at the house before sighing. She reached out and took Nate's hand.

 _'Show me.'_

As hard as it was to hold back from revealing the desires that his wolf demanded from him, Nate felt compelled to show her. Thoughts and images of how hard it was for him to restrain himself from giving into the instinctual desire to mark her as his own flooded into Liz's mind. He explained the meaning behind it as he had seen in the minds of the pack. Slowly, she understood and looked up at Nate's face. With her injured hand, she reached up and traced his full lips where she was just kissing moments earlier. He looked down at her sheepishly and she smiled.

 _'I trust you.'_

 _'I can't do it. I won't do it.'_

He stifled a growl, his wolf protesting the very thought of denying what was instinctive.

Again, Liz moved towards him while Nate found himself cornered against Sam's truck.

 _'Just a week ago, I wouldn't have imagined being out here, with you, sharing the most incredible kiss and then having an internal conversation about this,_ ' she said, pressing her hand against his chest, feeling his heart beating wildly. _'But I stand behind what I said. I trust you, Nathaneal Black. And I've met your wolf and I trust that part of you as well. I know that part of the derogative with the imprint is to ensure that I'm safe and that my needs are met, but I feel the same about you.'_

Nate stared at her, in surprise as well as confusion. For a moment, he wasn't even certain what she was getting at until Liz tugged on his hand and moved towards the woods. Nate glanced back at the house for a brief second before following after her. Afraid that she'd trip in her shoes, he scooped her up in his arms and swiftly darted into the forest. Liz wrapped her arms around his neck and leaned in to kiss his cheek as he moved. He smiled, as her kisses went down the side of his neck. Without warning, he quickly turned his head and found her lips. Liz cupped his cheeks, brushing her fingers against his chin.

Gently, he put her back down, her lips not leaving his own. Liz felt Nate's hands in her hair and she reached under his arms to run her hands down his back. She was conscious of the scaring on Nate's skin and could feel the puckered edges of the healing scars under her fingers. Still, it did nothing to slow him down.

Just like before, he kissed down her neck, pausing at her shoulder as he inhaled deeply. Once again, he stopped, kissing her skin as his hands vibrated as though he were to phase.

Sensing his hesitation, Liz reached up an wrapped her arms around his neck, placing her hand on his skin. She offered him feelings of comfort, acceptance and desire. He growled in his throat and she could feel his teeth graze her skin once again. In one fluid motion, the growl intensified as the muscles beneath his skin stretched before she felt a piercing pain above her collar bone that lasted a mere moment before the most incredible wave of pleasure washed over her. Liz gasped, her eyes closing as she held Nate's head to her shoulder. His breathing was unsteady as he gently kissed her shoulder over and over, the wolf slowly receding back while Nate gave out a satisfied snarl against her skin.

When he raised his head slightly, Liz brought her lips to his own and kissed him once again before resting her forehead against his.

"Are you okay?" he asked aloud, his voice soft and unsure.

Liz sighed and nodded. "That was...incredible."

Nate chuckled. "The kiss or...your shoulder?"

"All of it. I told you that you wouldn't hurt me."

He sighed, glancing over at the distinctly red bite mark on her shoulder.

"Yeah well, I have other things to worry about now, like your Dad when he see's that. He's going to flip. I assured him that we'd take things slow."

Liz chuckled, taking his hand. _'Don't worry about my Dad. I can handle him.'_

 _'You do know that runs pretty quick on four legs. And I do want to be able to have kids someday.'_

A sudden flash erupted in his mind - himself carrying a pigtailed little girl on his shoulders.

Liz chuckled and ran her fingers over his cheeks. "Don't worry."

Together, they walked back into the front yard of Liz's home. She kissed him one more time, finding it harder to let go of him the longer they spent time together. Liz wasn't certain if it had anything to do with the mark he had left on her shoulder.

"You can come into my room after everyone is asleep," she suggested softly.

Nate winced, feeling the temptation at the offer. "Your Dad is going to be patrolling and there's no way I'll be able to get over here unnoticed when I can't phase."

Liz sighed and nodded.

"But I will be here in the morning to see you."

Nate leaned in and kissed her one more time before ducking into the Rabbit. Liz backed up and waved as the car disappeared up the driveway. She made her way up to the porch, consciously pulling the collar of her sweater closer to her neck.

The moment she walked in the door, all eyes were on her. She couldn't help but think that everyone could read her mind. Emily smiled from where she stood in the kitchen beside a shirtless Sam who appeared prepared to go on patrol shortly. Her hand rested gently against his arm as he clenched his fists at his side. His nostrils flared, detecting Nate's scent had come back into the house with her.

It was Talon who decided to say the first word.

"So, the question on everyone's mind is: Is Nathaneal Black a good kisser?"

"Talon! I'm not answering that!" Liz exclaimed, walking past where he sat on the couch yet she knew that her face revealed exactly what had happened.

"Talon, that is none of our business," Sam scolded. "Besides, I'm certain that Nate's thoughts will be featuring your sister for the next little while so I'd be quiet if I were you."

Talon's smile fell before he winced and cursed, realizing that his father was right.

"Remind me to switch rotations with someone else," he said grimly.

Liz looked over at Sam.

"Thanks Daddy."

He nodded while Liz left the room and disappeared into her bedroom, closing the door behind her. She sighed before taking off her sweater and turned to look in the mirror behind the door. Liz leaned in closer as she pulled the collar of her shirt away from her neck. There, a few inches from her neck was a bite mark. She covered it with her hand, feeling the heat radiating from it. It didn't hurt at all and while she got dressed, her pajama t-shirt collar didn't bother it when it rubbed against it. It seemed to be nothing more than a blemish on her skin.

As the night went on, Liz laid in bed, yet she couldn't sleep. The minutes ticked away and soon it was nearly 11:30pm and she was still wide awake. She debated calling Nate just to hear his voice. Liz chuckled and ran her hand through her hair. Never in her life had she been so enamoured with someone that she was content to just hear his voice. When her cell phone rang, she smiled, having anticipated his call. Instead, she didn't recognize the number yet answered it anyways.

"Hello?"

"Hey Liz."

She recognized the voice, despite it not sounding exactly the same. Still, she found it hard to believe that she was even hearing it.

"Kyle?"


	33. Chapter 33

**_A/N - I don't know why FF is acting up like it was...updating twice, some readers not getting notifications... At least it doesn't seem to be giving me too much grief anymore when it comes to uploading._**

 ** _I hope you enjoy this chapter. ;)_**

* * *

"Kyle?"

Liz heard Kyle chuckle, his voice like smooth silk over her cell phone.

" _Yeah_ ," he said. " _At least I wonder if I am still him sometimes."_

Liz sat up straighter in her bed, reaching over to turn on the light on her side table. She still couldn't believe that she was speaking with Kyle.

" _Liz, I need to see you."_

"Kyle, you need to get to the hospital or call the police or something," she begged. "Everyone's been looking for you."

" _Have you?"_

She paused. Frankly, his disappearance barely crossed her mind over the past few days. She had been so focused on Nate's injuries and recovery to even allow Kyle's name to be brought to mind. Still, for his benefit, she told him yes.

Kyle sighed. " _You have no idea how much I miss you."_

Liz pinched her eyes shut, feeling so horrible to admit that she didn't feel the same way.

" _I'm so sorry about what happened the day at the lake. I shouldn't have pushed myself on you."_

"No, you shouldn't have," she affirmed boldl.

" _It pains me that I left you behind with Nate Black. My temper got the better of me and I made a mistake._

She paused, desiring to change the subject.

"Where have you been?"

" _You wouldn't believe me if I told you."_

"Kyle, you need to get to a hospital, call the police or something."

" _No_! _No cops, please,_ " he quickly stated gently. " _I'm not sticking around. I'm taking off tonight but I wanted to be sure that you were safe."_

"What do you mean? What about your family?"

Again, he chuckled. " _Can you meet me? I can answer all of your questions."_

"Kyle..."

He could sense her hesitation. " _Come on, Lizzie. Just to talk. I just want the chance to clear the air with you before I leave."_

Liz bit her lip, and brushed her hair away from her face before finally agreeing. He quickly told her a location to meet him at before she hung up. Liz stood up and grabbed her sweater once again. Not bothering to change out of her pyjamas, she slipped her bare feet into her shoes and pulled her hood up over her head before quietly making her way out of her room.

The living room was dark and only a single light was on in the kitchen. The entire house was quiet, indicating that her Mom and brothers were no doubt asleep. Making her way over to the fridge, she wrote a note in the event that someone woke up, mentioning Kyle had called and her intention was to get him to the nearest hospital, despite his desire to run. She put her cell phone into her pocket before reaching above the fridge for her Dad's pick up keys.

"Someone is up late."

Liz gasped, quickly turning, her hand to her chest to calm her racing heart.

Talon stood in the doorway, his arms crossed.

"Tal, what are you doing up?"

"I was going to ask you the same thing. Planning on slipping out into the night to meet with some wolf that we all know?"

Liz sighed and rolled her eyes. "Go back to sleep. You guys get grumpy if you don't get at least six hours."

"Yeah, but Dad told me to keep an eye on you while he's on patrol. He said that if Nate didn't come here, you'd be inclined to go to him. And it looks like he was right."

"This has nothing to do with Nate," she told him.

Talon chuckled as he walked up to her and looked at the note that she had just scribbled. All intentions of teasing her suddenly came to a sudden halt.

"Seriously? He just called you?"

Liz nodded. "Sounds like he's planning on running away and he doesn't want the police to know where he's at. I think he's gotten himself into some trouble and he's ashamed or something. It might explain his unusual disappearance."

"And you're just going to go show up, like this?" Talon asked, gesturing to her flannel pyjama pants and hooded sweater.

She rolled her eyes. "You think I should dress up?"

"No, I mean, you're going alone? Does Mom know?"

"I left the note and I'll be gone for just an hour or so," she told him, before turning to reach blindly above the fridge for the keys once again.

A sudden wall of heat came up against her back while Talon reached over her, his height making it easy for him to reach the keys. He dangled them over his finger.

"I'm going with you."

"No, you're not."

Talon shrugged. "Then, I'll be obligated to let Dad know the moment you walk out of the house."

"You wouldn't."

"Try me."

Seeing Talon's smug smile looking back at her, caused Liz to grind her teeth in frustration.

"Fine."

Talon's smile widened while he rubbed his hands together, the keys dangling on his finger. "I can't wait to make the bastard squirm for leaving you behind like he did."

Liz turned. "No, you're not going to talk to him. You're going to stay in the truck."

Talon pouted comically. "Come on, Liz. Someone has to put the fear of God into that little shit. And I'm surprised that you didn't call up Nate and let him know that you're planning on meeting with your ex on some deserted highway."

Liz sighed, making her way to the doorway with Talon

"Nate doesn't like him very much. There is a good chance that Kyle may not even walk away if Nate came with me."

"I should have you know that my wolf is pretty scary. No one messes with my sister and gets away with it."

A small smile came to Liz's face. "I appreciate that Talon, but for Nate, this would be more personal."

Talon tipped his head to the side and considered her words. He had seen into Nate's mind once or twice since he had imprinted on Liz and the images of Kyle are not pretty.

"You've got a point there."

The pair made their way out to the truck and within minutes were driving out of La Push towards Forks.

"Where exactly are we going?"

Liz held out his phone in front of her, the screen illuminating her face in the dark cab. "Turn left in 4 miles."

Talon nodded and followed the direction when they came up to the seasonal road. "Where the hell is he bringing us?"

Liz shrugged as she looked out the windows while Talon sighed, his hands gripping the steering wheel. "I'm not liking this. We're outside of the patrol perimeter."

"Just a little further."

Talon growled. "I'm going to have to go on a run when I get home now just to burn off this anxiety."

Liz looked over at him, surprise. "This really bothers you, doesn't it."

"An army of vampires is planning on attacking La Push sometime soon and we're off the reservation. Of course it does." He paused and rolled his eyes. "Not to mention I'm a single wolf alone with you and to make matters worse, you're an imprint."

"Since when does that make a difference?"

Talon groaned, not wanting to get into this conversation with her, but it kept him focused on the road ahead of him and kept his anxiety in check.

"Imprints are important to the pack. You're like an extension of Nate. And frankly without you, the continuity of the pack ceases to exist."

"I don't understand. I'm not part of the pack."

"Sex, Liz! God! Didn't Mom explain this to you?"

"You don't have to yell at me!" she shouted back.

"Well, it seems that you don't understand the biggest purpose behind imprinting. It's not just to connect a wolf to its soulmate, but it's also believed that it brings together two genetic makeups that have the chance of producing the strongest wolves to continue the pack. Since Nate's in line to be the next Alpha, it makes sense that he imprinted on you. In our world, there's stronger than the Uley family line and Black family line."

There was an aire of pride as he spoke.

"It goes back to our great-great grandfathers who made up the pack when the Cullen's first came to the area nearly 100 years ago. They never imprinted because there was never a vampiric threat that drove their spirit wolf to search out for their best match to continue the genetic line. When our Dad phased, there was that threat and so he imprinted as well as many others. And it seems like it's happening again." He paused and winced. "Damn, I don't even want to even think about you and...and Nate...together."

Liz looked out the window at the darkness around them. "Then I suggest that you keep your mind out of Nate's head."

His head quickly turned, anger suddenly lacing his features. "You guys didn't do it already, did you?"

Liz quickly looked over at him. "What? No!"

He sighed audibly.

"Good! That's the last thing I'll need to see in Black's head." He paused.

"Now, you know why you're so important. Not just to Nate but to all of us." Again, he paused and looked over at her as he pulled the car over. "Besides, you're my sister. I'd snap a guys neck for you."

Liz smirked. "Just what every girl wants to hear from their brother."

Talon chuckled before looking out the window.

"Is this the place?"

Liz nodded, glancing down at her phone before looking out the window. She made a motion to open the car door but Talon quickly put his hand across her stomach holding her in place.

"You stay here and lock the doors," he told her. "I'll see if he's here."

Liz sighed but didn't argue.

She watched as Talon slowly walked out in front of the headlights and looked around briefly before quickly backing up. He rushed back to the truck, pulling the pickup door open quickly.

"What? What's going on?" she asked, panicking after seeing his hands vibrating and the muscles beneath his skin twitching.

"I need to get you out of here!"

He shoved the key in the ignition and turned it on, slamming the car into reverse the moment it started. It didn't move. The wheels spun on the dirt path, kicking up stones and soil against the underside of the truck. Liz looked up out the front of the car and shrieked, seeing a man standing there, holding onto the front bumper, keeping them in place.

Liz knew then what had gotten Talon all worked up.

Without saying a word, Talon jumped out of the truck, phasing the moment his feet touched the ground. He let out a deafening howl, causing Liz to cover her ears. Liz grabbed her cell phone, her fingers attempting to find Nate's number while she trembled in fear. She tried to ignore the loud snarling as Talon stalked and snapped at the vampires that seemed to swarm around the pick up. The truck rocked before the passenger side door was riped from the hinge, causing the phone to slip between her fingers.

While Liz screamed and backed away quickly from the opening, Talon darted around the car and jumped on top of the vampire that reached inside to grab her ankle. Behind her, the drivers side door suddenly opened and Liz backed away from it. Instead of a vampire, she recognized Kyle's smiling face as he held out his hand towards her.

"Come on!" he shouted. "I can get you out of here!"

Hearing Talon's growls and snarls as he fought the vampire that was attempting to get past him, Liz reached out and took Kyle's hand.

She gasped when she felt the intense cold and instinctively wnet to pull her hand away but Kyle held firmly. In a blink of an eye, he had pulled her out of the truck and held her in front of him as a shield just as Talon jumped over the truck and stalked him. Talon growled, his giant paws digging at the ground in front of him. Behind him, the pair of vampires that had attacked the car moved in closer to him.

"Listen very carefully - tell your baby brother Talon to back off or I'll make you my next meal," Kyle said, his lips dangerous close to her ear.

Liz's eyes were wide as she turned her head towards Kyle, seeing for the first time his blood red eyes looking back at her.

"Kyle...please...don't do this."

He squeezed her arm tighter and Liz winced, feeling the pain. Talon watched, a low growl in his throat as he bared his teeth.

"Tell him."

Liz shook in fear as she spoke aloud to Talon as strongly as she could.

"Tal, I'm okay," she told him, her voice trembling. "Don't come any closer, please?"

"Very good," Kyle said, before he smiled at Talon over Liz's shoulder. "Now, say goodbye to him."

Liz's eyes widened just as Talon snarled, hearing Kyle's words.

"I won't!" she stated strongly before colours raced past her eyes. She pinched them shut, feeling the cold of Kyle's hands and the sounds of snarling and loud barks echoing around her. In the distance, she heard a howl before it got quieter. Still, she could feel the swift movement, the wind moving past her that seemed to last for minutes before they finally came to a stop.

Kyle put her down on her feet, holding onto her hand for a few extra moments to ensure her footing before he let go. Liz opened her eyes, seeing walls on all sides of her except for one where the light of moon was shining against the entrance.

Liz stared at him and backed away.

"What happened to you?"

Kyle shrugged. "Isn't it obvious?"

He walked up to her, causing Liz to back away, bumping into the corrugated metal wall behind her. Kyle bent over and picked up a pair of shackles that were wrapped around a raised metal bar along the wall. Carefully, he ensured that Liz's ankles were both shackled.

"It is amazing the things you can see and hear in this world," he said, with a smile before he closed his eyes. "I can hear your heartbeat. The blood moving through your veins and arteries."

Taking a deep breath, he backed up, a fearful expression on his face. With the blink of an eye, he was gone and the door quickly shut, enveloping her within darkness.

Not being able to move too far, Liz pounded against the metal behind her until her fists throbbed. The sound echoed loudly within her small enclosure. For a while, she began to yell out for help, finding her throat was quickly becoming raw. After a few hours, she sat down on the ground and pulled her knees up to her chest, relieved to be wearing her hooded sweater. Wherever she was, the temperature was dropping. Tears began to fall down her cheeks while she tucked her hands into her sleeves.

Time seemed to come to a stand still and she rested her head against her knees until she heard the door creak open. A group of three men, dressed in robes that fell to the floor walked in. The one in the middle walked up to her and seemed to assess her and winced before looking at the two men who had accompanied her.

"Surely this human female can't be the one we've been searching for," the man spoke. "She seems so frail."

He called out of the small compartment where Liz had been sitting for the past few hours and a young blond woman walked in with Kyle right behind her.

"Jane, is this the one you were telling me about?"

She nodded, looking at Liz. "The guards saw her with him a few days ago. Kyle confirmed her identity."

Liz looked up, meeting Kyle's eyes before he quickly averted them.

The man walked up to her and crouched down, smiling.

"You my dear, are my new prize," he told her.

"Let me go," Liz requested meekly. "Please."

"Oh, I can't do such a thing. You see, you being here is the one thing that will certainly lure the Alpha's son to me."

"Alpha's..." she said, the words dying off in her mouth as she realized whom they were wanting. "He won't come."

The man chuckled. "I beg to differ. Marcus here has seen the bond that you two share is indeed quite strong. He'll come and while I have you in my possession, the Alpha's son will do my bidding."

"Nate will not serve you!" Liz spat at him.

"Nate," the man said, tasting the name on his tongue. "Was that the name given to that screaming urchin I laid my eyes on in Carlisle Cullen's arms so many years ago?"

"Who the hell are you?" Liz asked boldly.

"Considering you and I will be getting to know each other for the next foreseeable future, you may call me Aro," he said, extending his hand towards her.

Liz stared at it, not willing to freely touch the vile man. Instead, Aro reached forward and grabbed her hand and placed it in his own. A smile came to his face as he saw her memories and her thoughts.

"Oh my dear Elizabeth, you will do nicely."

Aro stood up and walked back towards the pair of vampires whom he had walked in with and turned, glancing back at Liz on the ground.

"The offspring that she will produce with the Alpha's son will be of a great benefit to us," he told them proudly. "The children who are capable of shifting into wolves will serve as a powerful force for the Volturi. The others, we will simply destroy."

Liz's eyes widened upon hearing the name, Volturi. To hear them speak so flippantly about killing any future children she'd have brought a strong, maternal anger to the forefront that Liz didn't even know she had. At nearly 18 years old, children wasn't something she would think about. Until Talon had mentioned it earlier, she never considered it, but now that she realized that these vampires desired to raise her children to serve them angered her beyond what she could ever think possible.

"Ensure that she is fed and that no harm is to come to her." Aro glanced back at Liz on the ground, while she glared at him. "She will certainly be an asset to us. Once Nate arrives, keep them together. We may have to come up with a means by which they'll be forced to reproduce. I'm certain that any threat against Elizabeth will certainly persuade the Alpha's son to do our bidding."

Liz watched silently as the group left her within the metal compartment.

"We will never serve you!" she screeched loudly, her voice echoing around her. "I will die before I allow that to happen!"

Aro paused and turned back to her.

"Oh, you certainly will die," he told her. "When my use for you is through, you will find it a great honour to die by our hand."

"Screw you!" she exclaimed, tears in her eyes. "You all can just go to hell! I hope that when the wolves come for you that they rip you apart, slowly."

The metal door slammed behind them, once again enclosing her within darkness.

Liz coughed, her voice rough from shouting. As she settled against the wall, tears came down her face before she began to cry while she tugged hard against the shackles on her ankles. Liz raked her fingers through her hair before she pulled at it, screaming as loudly as she could, praying that it was loud enough that any of the wolves could hear her. As much as she wanted Nate to find her, she knew the repercussions of what could happen if the Volturi got to him. They would forever serve the Volturi as would their future children. She couldn't allow their fate to be secured long before they were ever conceived. Taking a deep breath, she made a decision and held up her chin proudly, just like her Dad had taught her when she was younger. Liz was strong and would be strong until the very end. It would be simple - she wouldn't eat or drink.

Her mind was filled with her family; her Mom, her Dad and brothers. But it was Nate who occupied the majority of her thoughts.

She dropped her head, whispering Nate's name over and over like a mantra, wanting it to be the last word on her lips. She prayed that death would eventually come to her in the night. Slowly, she slid down the wall and laid down on the cold, hard metal floor. Liz hummed a tune that she had heard as a child, before it lulled her to sleep.

* * *

"You left the reservation? What the hell were you thinking?" Sam exclaimed at his eldest son, slamming his fist on the railing outside of their home, the wood creaking in agony under his hand.

The wolves were still scouring the forests since the moment that Talon's howl pierced the darkness. Charlie had arrived earlier with Sue and Leah. While Sue held onto a very distraught Emily, Charlie and Leah stood by Billy looking over a grid map with Paul and Jacob on the hood of Charlie's cruiser. Sam's shout of frustration caught all of their attention.

Talon was extremely upset about the whole predicament and had been racing around the reservation trying to track down Liz to no avail before Jacob called him back. When he finally came home to the waiting search party, Sam laid into him. Talon felt he deserved it while at the same time, knew that if he hadn't gone with her, they wouldn't have known what had happened to her; if she was dead or alive.

"She would've gone alone if I hadn't gone with her," Talon told him. "You know how Liz is."

"So, naturally you let her leave the reservation! She could be..."

Sam turned, running his hands through his hair, not wanting to even consider finishing his sentence. Emily pulled herself away from Sue and made her way past Talon, gently running her hand along her son's shoulder before enveloping herself in Sam's embrace. She could feel him tremble with silent sobs.

"I'm sorry," Talon said softly, sniffing as he looked at the ground as he wrapped his arms around his chest, physically forcing himself to keep it together.

The shouts and commotion had woken Shawn and he appeared at the doorway, confused as he took in the sight of the police cruiser and his parents embracing, while his older brother seemed like he was ready to fall apart.

"What's going on?"

The voice caught both Emily and Sam's attention. Wiping her nose against the back of her hand, Emily quickly approached her youngest son and put her hand on his back, ushering him back in the house.

"It's nothing," she told him. "Mrs. Carter's dog took off and she went after it. She's lost and they're using our driveway as a headquarters."

The story wasn't too far fetched. More than once the pack had come across the older lady meandering in the woods searching for her little shih-poo.

Sam looked out at Talon, his shoulders hunched before he left the porch and forcefully turned him towards him. Without saying a word, Sam wrapped his arms around Talon, holding him tightly.

Charlie watched the scene before looking back down at the map on the car hood.

"So I guess its safe to say that Kyle Hanson wasn't killed."

Paul snorted. "He's going to wish that he was when we find him. Nate will go ballistic."

Leah crossed her arms.

"Has anyone even told Nate what's going on?"

Billy looked over at Jacob who sighed and shook his head. "We're hoping to keep this tight lipped for now. I don't want him running off on his own and take his anger out on every vampire he runs into, especially since Sue hasn't cleared him to phase yet."

Billy pursed his lips. "You won't be able to keep it quiet for too long. I'm actually surprised he didn't hear Talon's howl calling out that there are vampires about."

"Oh, he heard it," Jacob assured him. "I ordered him to stay home with Jo, Liam and Sarah. He doesn't know yet that Liz was involved."

"But considering she's his imprint, don't you think if anyone would be able to find her, it would be him?" Leah suggested.

"In any other situation, I'd agree," Jacob said. "But he nearly died a few days ago and I won't let him phase until we know that he's healed. I know Nate - if we let him know what's going on, he'll phase and he won't sleep until he finds her."

"That is, if she's still alive," Quil added soberly, causing them all to pause.

"What if there's another way to find her?" Billy suggested, looking at Jacob.

"Like what?"

"Hear me out, Jacob," he requested, his hand rubbing his chin thoughtfully. "Imprints and their wolves are tightly connected; mind, soul and body. What if he could contact her with his mind, figure out where she was."

"That sounds all well and good," Jacob said, glancing at Quil and Paul beside him who looked down, afraid to disappoint Billy and discount his suggestion. "But it's not possible. There is a connection between a wolf and his imprint, a certain homing beacon that draws us, but she could be anywhere in the world. It would simply frustrated him and he'd go mad with worry."

"No, Jake, I'm talking about Nate being able to read her mind."

Jacob sighed, getting frustrated with Billy's persistence.

"It's impossible, Dad. That's only between the pack while phased."

A small smile appeared on Billy's face. "Not that impossible.

All eyes turned to Billy, waiting for a punch line despite the grim situation they were in. When there wasn't one, they looked at each other. Jacob finally asked the question that was on everyone's mind.

"What are you talking about?"

"Nate can read her mind."

They all paused before Paul swore under his breath.

"You're being serious. The kid can read her mind?"

"How do you know this?" Jacob asked eagerly.

Billy sighed. "They both came to me shortly after Nate imprinted on Liz. Somehow, they discovered that it was possible to share thoughts and conversations with each other. They hoped that there was something within the legends that corresponded to what they were experiencing. As of now, they are the first to have that sort of connection."

"Holy shit," Quil cursed, running his hand over his face.

"So, it's true?" Sam said as he moved closer upon hearing Billy's words. His eyes from crying and his voice weak. "Nate could find her?"

"Jake, you gotta get Nate over here," Leah implored. "If he can find her, you gotta tell him what's going on."

Jacob nodded, agreeing with Leah. He looked over at Paul and gestured to the woods. Together they darted into the woods, pulling off their cutoffs and swiftly tying them in seconds to their ankles before racing towards Jacob's home.

Nate sensed the wolves in his yard as he paced within the house. He knew that something was wrong. While Liam and Sarah slept soundly, he was awake and Jo sat quietly at the table, a cup of coffee between her fingers. Nate paused when he heard footsteps on the porch and Jacob walked in with Paul on his heels.

"What's going on?" Nate asked.

"We need you to come with us."

Paul went to Nate's side and pulled him towards the door while Jacob went into the kitchen and grabbed his pick up truck keys.

"Is everything all right?" Jo asked, standing from the table.

"I'll call you in a bit," Jacob replied, closing the door behind him and jogged to catch up to Paul and Nate who were approaching the truck.

"Where are we going?"

"You'll see," Paul replied.

"You know that I can't phase right now."

"We're not running," Jacob said, opening the truck door. "We're driving. I need to talk to you before we get there."

"Okay," Nate said slowly as Paul waited for him to get into the truck. He assumed it would be safest to have Nate between them rather than on the outside.

No one said a thing for a few minutes until they were on the road, and it became obvious that they were heading towards the Uley's house.

"Okay, something is going on that you guys aren't telling me," Nate concluded, hotly. "Is this about me biting Liz's shoulder cause, honestly she was okay with it and even said that it didn't hurt her."

Jacob turned to him, his eyes quickly darting back to the road in front of them.

Paul coughed beside Nate and smiled as he realized the sudden awkward situation. He glanced over at Jacob who spoke.

"What? You bit her? You mean, you marked her?"

Nate shrugged weakly. "I don't want to give a half-crap answer like the wolf made me do it, but honestly, it was pure instinct and I stopped the first time when I felt the wolf wanting to take over my actions, but Liz was fine with it all and..."

He paused and looked at Jacob's expression. It wasn't one of disappointment but rather sadness.

"It has nothing to do with that, does it?"

Jacob shook his head. "No, it doesn't."

He took a deep breath. "Nate, something happened tonight. The details of how aren't important but the fact of the matter is that Liz is missing. We're pretty certain that the Volturi took her and based on that theory, we have a suspicion that they're using her to get to you. Knowing that, I don't think she'd be dead."

Jacob spoke the last sentence quickly, sensing that Nate had tuned him out at that point, and instead was focusing on the fact that Liz was gone.

"Nate, did you hear what your Dad said?" Paul asked, slightly concerned by his lack of response.

Nate pinched his eyes shut and his fists clenched tightly as they rested on his knees within the small cab.

"Pull over," Nate ground out between his teeth.

"Nate, you can't phase right now. We're going to the Uley's and Billy has an idea that may..."

"I'm not going to phase, I'm going to throw up. Pull over!" he exclaimed as Jacob quickly veered over to the side of the road and Paul all but fell out of the truck, letting Nate shove past him. Nate bent over and threw up violently along the grassy ditch, his stomach lurching over and over as Jacob's words repeated in his head.

He couldn't believe it but Nate knew that his Dad and Uncle Paul wouldn't play such a mean and terrible trick on him. After a few moments, he slowly made his way back to the cab and climbed in, Paul sliding in behind him. Jacob looked at Nate's face, seeing such a drastic change in his son's skin tone compared to when they had left his house. They drove silently before arriving at the Uley's.

Paul climbed out of the truck and stood by the door, waiting for Nate to walk out. All eyes seemed to turn to him before conversations continued. Nate felt empty inside; hollowed out. Even when Sue came up to him and wrapped her arms around him, he felt nothing. Sounds became muffled as the pack reassured him that they'd find her.

Sensing that he was becoming catatonic in his responses, Jacob grabbed ahold of Nate's arm and dragged him towards Charlie's cruiser.

"Billy told us something that might help us find her," he stated. "Is it true that you can hear her thoughts?"

Nate turned to Billy. A smile came to his face before he chuckled and ran his hands over his face and through his hair, tugging at the strands in frustration.

Concerned, Jacob shared a look with Charlie and the others around him.

"We told you - it only works when I'm fucking touching her!" Nate suddenly exclaimed at Billy, no amount of humour in his tone. "I can't hear her thoughts when she's not fucking here!"

While everyone gaped at Nate's outburst towards Billy, Jacob took Nate by the collar and pulled him towards his face.

"We know that you are experiencing something that none of us would ever care to endure but that is not an excuse for the lack of respect you have just shown to not only your elder, but your grandfather," Jacob seethed. "You will apologize."

He let go of Nate's collar while Billy held up his hand.

"Jake, there is no need," Billy said, softly. "I know that Nate is hurting and I can understand his pain runs deeper than we can imagine right now."

Nate shook his head and sniffed, tears in his eyes as the realization hit him of what he had done. Never in his life had he ever raised his voice towards his parents, let alone Billy.

"No, Dad is right. Grandpa, I'm sorry for my outburst."

Billy smiled weakly at him and held out his hand towards Nate.

"I wasn't meaning to bring you pain when I suggested that your cognitive ability to read each others thoughts may be useful in finding her. I'm wondering if you concentrated enough, that perhaps you could briefly see into her mind, even if it's an image that may be able to pinpoint her location."

Nate took a deep breath and shook his head. "I don't know, Grandpa. I can't even concentrate right now let alone try something like that."

Billy squeezed his hand before Nate looked up at Sam while Emily clung onto him.

"I'm sorry," he told them, his voice deflated and defeated.

While the others hunched over the search grid, Nate moved off towards the side yard and leaned up against the siding of the house. Slowly, he slid down the wall and pulled his knees up. For the first time, tears came to his eyes as a sob bubbled up from within him. Nate didn't know how long he sat there alone before he felt a hand rest on his shoulder.

Nate raised his head and met Jacob's worried eyes. His heart broke for his son. Jacob knew that if he could, he'd gladly take on the pain that he was enduring.

"It hurts," Nate told him softly as he winced in pain.

"What hurts?"

Nate ran his hand across his chest and his fingers dug at the t-shirt he was wearing. Jacob understood. He had felt that deep pain years ago when he had refused to give into his imprint with Jo. While this was a different circumstance, Jacob realized their separation along with the fear for Liz's safety was causing him physical pain. Deep down, he wondered if the repercussions of Nate marking her as his own was being manifesting and making the symptoms all the more worse.

With a deep breath, Jacob grabbed his son's arm and pulled him to his feet.

"Come on," he encouraged, while Nate struggled and even growled.

"Leave me alone."

"I can't," Jacob retorted, holding him even tighter in his grip as they walked around towards the front of the house. "I'm your Father and your Alpha. When one of us in the pack is hurting, we all hurt. And frankly, you're not the only one who is incredibly upset. Both Sam and Talon are barely holding themselves together. So, the rest of us are going to lift you three up. You're not allowed to go through this alone."

Nate could see that only Charlie and Billy remained in the front of the house. They turned to the pair as they approached.

"I'm going to get your Mom and bring the kids to Charlie and Sue's before we join the others," Jacob told him. "I have the entire pack scouring the woods. Seth went to the Cullen's to get help and to let them know that the Volturi have made an act of aggression towards us. I need you to stay here with Grandpa."

Nate turned to Jacob, surprised.

"Stay?! Dad, I need to be out there with everyone else!"

Jacob shook his head. "No, not this time. At the moment, it is in your best interest to stay on two feet. Besides, we think that Billy may be on to something."

Nate rolled his eyes. "I told you..."

Jacob held up his hand. "Yeah, we know that you can only read her mind when you're holding her hand. But I think you're underestimating that power within you. If you two have been given this gift for a reason, maybe it's for this."

Jacob looked over at Billy.

"Grandpa can help you meditate and focus despite what you may think."

Seeing the defeated look on Nate's face, Jacob pulled him into his arms and squeezed him.

"We'll find her," Jacob said quietly.

He let go of Nate, looking at his son's face before he turned to Billy and Charlie. He gave them both a brief nod before he ran off into the woods, leaving the three men alone in the silence.


	34. Chapter 34

Nate growled as he shoved open the front door and stalked off the porch, his fists clenched tightly at his sides. Behind him, Billy quicklyfollowed in his chair, concerned that Nate wouldn't be able to control his frustration and would inadvertantly phase when he knew it was still too soon. Sue had yet to give him the 'all clear' and although he appeared to be completely healed, she was concerned about his muscles and tissue on a cellular level and the damage that he could sustain by phasing.

Nate bent over, his hands on his knees as he inhaled the fresh morning air deeply into his lungs. Billy watched cautiously.

"We can try again," Billy suggested softly, still concerned over Nate's short temper and growing frustration.

Nate stood up straight and turned, still breathing deeply and shook his head.

"It's not working," he told him, angrily. "All this meditating and chanting isn't doing anything!"

Billy sighed, equally frustrated but more with Nate's pessimism. "You only tried for fifteen minutes. If this is going to work, you need to get into a mental place of calmness."

"Grandpa, how on earth am I supposed to be calm when the world seems to be falling apart around me?!"

Tears came back to his eyes and he wiped at them angrily. "My emotions are all over the place and I don't even recognize myself right now."

Billy rolled forward down the ramp, coming up beside Nate as he stared out at the woods around them.

There hadn't been any news since the pack had begun their search nearly ten hours before. Billy had watched Nate during those tense hours as he sat at his kitchen table, staring down the ticking clock on the wall. While Billy laid down for a few hours and had fallen asleep for some time, when he awoke, Nate was in the same place. He hadn't slept or ate, even when offerred and it worried the older man.

"Why don't you lay down for a bit," Billy suggested. "We can try again after you've gotten some sleep."

Nate shook his head. "I can't sleep. I tried to close my eyes at the table last night and I woke up, thinking that all of this was just a bad dream. I'd rather not be tortured that way again."

Billy nodded, understanding his reasoning. There had been many nights after Sarah's death that he'd wake, certain that he woke from a horrible nightmare. It happened every couple of nights for the first few months. He'd quietly sob, alone in his bed each time that it happened. So, he could understand a little of what Nate was enduring.

"Then, go take a walk," Billy told him. "Clear your head."

Aware that his grandfather was only meaning well, Nate agreed, despite knowing that it wouldn't help. If anything, it was a way for Nate to get away from Billy's insistence that he try again with the meditation and Quileute rituals for calming the spirit warrior. Billy believed that the unique mental abilities that he shared with Liz could somehow cause them to communicate if he calmed himself enough. Nate snorted, knowing that wouldn't be happening anytime soon.

He couldn't concentrate. Every fibre of his being demanded that he search for Liz. To be forcefully told by his father and Alpha that he is to remain on the reservation and not to phase had angered the spirit warrior within him. Still, he obeyed the order and respected Jacob's request.

Nate was aggitated as he walked down the worn path behind Billy's house that led through the woods. For a moment, he could feel his arm and back muscles tremble with the intense desire to phase. Nate could feel the wolf, clawing his way to the surface, determined to break the order that Jacob had given him. A second later, he felt a swift zap of pain radiate over his back. An intense wave of nausea swept over him. It caused him to gasp and pause, before taking deep breaths, willing the pain and sick feeling to subside.

"Man, if I were you, I would think twice before trying to phase. You're looking a little green."

Nate glanced over his shoulder, seeing Jonah, Ryan and Derek come walking towards him, barefoot and wearing only shorts. He couldn't help but look at them expectantly. Ryan could see the hope on his cousin's face. Rather than say something, he simply shook his head solemnly.

"Your Dad sent us back," Ryan told him. "He wants the younger pack to stay here and guard the reservation. The rest of them, the older ones are taking the search area further from La Push. They didn't want to leave our home unprotected while they're away."

Jonah sighed and rolled his eyes. "Yeah, and it's not fair. We're just as fast as they are. Instead, we get to run around the Rez doing patrols while they're having fun hunting leeches."

Derek snorted in disgust. "I'd rather be here than having to cohort with the Cullen's though."

"The Cullen's?" Nate suddenly said. "They're helping?"

Ryan nodded. "Seth said that they unanimously agreed in helping us find Liz. Since the Romanian's are nearby, only a few of them went with your Dad and the others. The rest of the Cullen's stayed behind."

Nate ran his hand over his shoulder and flexed his muscles.

"Hey, were you actually trying to phase before we showed up?" Derek asked in concern. "I thought that Mrs. Swan said that it wasn't a good idea yet."

Nate shrugged. "Aunt Sue said that it wasn't recommended. I was just wondering how right she was."

"And, was she right?"

"It hurt like a sonofabitch," he growled. "And I wasn't even that close to phasing."

Derek winced. "Then, don't do it, man. Just wait a bit longer."

"Yeah, we can keep you updated on the pack, if you want," Jonah added.

Ryan nodded. "Since you're staying at Grandpa's, I can swing by anytime my patrol route comes near that area of the Rez."

"Mine too," Derek stated, while Jonah agreed.

Nate smiled weakly and thanked them.

"We can't pretend to know what you're going through but we're sure as hell are going to be there for you," Ryan told him.

"That's what family is for," Jonah stated with a broad smile. Nate couldn't help but smirk at his exuberance.

"Remember, we're brothers," Ryan added, slapping Jonah on the back, to which Derek nodded in agreement.

Nate looked at the three boys that he had grown up with when his weak smile fell when he realized someone was missing.

"Hey, where's Talon?"

Jonah looked at Derek, who glanced over at Ryan before he spoke.

"He's around...patrolling," Derek said. "He's not doing too well since...well, you know. He's been keeping his distance, knowing tha you're angry with him over everything that happened with Liz."

Nate looked at him, confused. "Why would I be angry with him?"

"Well, you know, he figures you blame him for it all. Hell, he blames himself for Liz's disappearance since he went along with her to meet her crazy ex-boyfriend who turned out to be a vampire whom were thinking is working for the Volturi."

Nate's eyes widened. "What the hell are you talking about?"

Ryan glanced at Derek who shrugged before looking at Nate. His cousin's nose was flared and his fists were clenched tightly and he was certain that he saw Nate's eyes flash yellow as he glared at him.

"Didn't anyone tell you what happened?"

"No," Nate ground out between his clenched teeth. "So, this is all Talon's fault!?"

Seeing the muscles on Nate's chest begin to vibrate beneath his t-shirt, Ryan quickly put his hands on his cousin's shoulders and looked him in the eyes.

"It was a mistake," Ryan implored to him, desperately wanting him to calm down as he explained. "One that any of us...even you...could have made."

Jonah slowly came up beside him.

"Nate, we saw his memories and he desperately tried to track her down, but the scent of the vampires was so overpowering that he lost her. He was outnumbered and his fear for her life was overwhelming. When I saw him later on, he wouldn't even look me in the face. Your Dad ripped into him as did Sam."

"Tal already knows that you would never forgive him if anything happened to Liz," Ryan added. "He won't ever forgive himself for hurting you and his family."

As the tremors beneath Nate's skin calmed, he closed his eyes and took a deep breath. To the three boys' surprise, tears lined Nate's eyes before he nodded.

"I'm fine," he said softly to Ryan, confirming that he wasn't about to phase and that his anger had diminished enough. "I'm going back to Billy's."

With that, he turned and headed back towards Billy's house. The three boys simply watched, their own hearts breaking at seeing their brother and future leader so broken. They were also surprised at the lack of anger upon finding out the circumstances that led to Liz's disappearance.

Nate paused when he came up to Billy's wood burning pile just inside the tree line of the forest. Picking up a chunk of firewood, he bounced it leasurely in his hand before quickly pulling his arm back. He chucked it hard at the tree, splinters and pieces of wood flying in every direction. As much as he had forced it down, the anger was still there, just below the surface. Unable to seek the release of phasing, Nate picked up another heap of firewood and threw it once again at the tree. After three or four, Nate's chest was heaving and growls were coming up from his throat, though tears were in his eyes. He wanted to break free from his human form to search and destroy any vampire that he could find. Yet, at the same time, his heart and chest were in so much pain that the anguish he was feeling suddenly decided to pour out of him. Weakly, he dropped to his knees and sobbed, the wolf inside him howling.

Nate was so distracted that the only sense that alerted him to another presense was his hearing. The sound of a twig cracking caused him to look in that particular direction.

Talon stood sheepishly, barefoot and in a pair of cut offs. His eyes were red as he stared at Nate, guiltily and uncomfortable at intruding while Nate was obviously very upset.

Swiftly, Nate pushed himself up off the ground and stalked his way towards Talon, who didn't move from his position.

"Nate, I know that it wont mean much, but-"

He didn't finish his sentence as Nate quickly interrupted once he was standing directly in front of Talon.

"If you had someone who meant your entire existence and she was suddenly..." he paused, taking a deep breath, "...she was suddenly...lost...what would you do? How would you keep living?"

"Nate, I can't even fathom what you're experiencing right now, but I want to say how sorry I am."

Nate shook his head, and ran the his hand over his face, rubbing the tears away. "No, you don't understand. Until you imprint on someone, you'll never know. Right now, words mean nothing. The only person that can heal this giant pain in my chest, is her. And it hurts like hell. As much as I want to rip you apart right now and demand that I never see you again..."

Nate looked up, hearing Talon's breath hitch in his chest.

"You're still my brother and more than that, you're my imprint's brother." Nate took a deep breath, looking up at Talon, yet a growl rumbled up from his chest before he spoke. "Deep down, I know that it was an accident...and I know that she loved...loves you and I wouldn't ever hurt someone that she cares about."

With that, Nate turned and began to walk towards Billy's house. Behind him, Talon watched and took a deep breath before quickly turning and phasing in mid air. A few seconds later, a deafening and painful howl echoed within the woods.

* * *

Hours rolled into each other.

Spending time in a dark metal container gave the illusion of constant night. Liz's only confirmation that it was day was a small hole near the top of the container where a nail had rusted through, leaving a space for light to shine in. She began to count the number of light versus dark hours to figure out days. Liz also heard a train whistle in the distance that came at regular intervals; seven times during daylight and only two times at night. It also wouldn't blare the whistle as long at night.

These small things kept Liz occupied and it helped her determine how many days she had been locked up.

After the first day, the door had opened twice with food being placed within her reach. Each time, she refused and simply left it be. Because she wasn't eating, her need for using the bathroom(which she discovered was a small undisclosed area of the woods that Jane would quickly bring her to) was no longer needed as much. Her stomach growled constantly and she was quickly becoming nauseated. The cool of the container against her face seemed to help somewhat. The only thing that really bothered her was the constant pain in her chest. It had started as an ache and slowly became a throb. Unconsciously, she'd rub at her chest in hopes that it would alleviate that pain.

On the third day, she woke to the sound of the metal door complaining as it opened. Based on the amount of light that flooded into the container, it was early morning and the sun had yet to come over the horizon.

Loud stomps echoed on the ground beside where she laid.

"Get up, human!"

With a sigh, Liz pushed herself up to sit before shoving her matted hair from her face. The same vampire who had been bringing her food since she arrived was once again dropping off her breakfast of cold toast, eggs and juice.

"Today, you will eat."

Liz laid back down and groaned. "Go to hell."

Suddenly, she felt her hair being tugged at and she had no choice but to sit up as she was physically pulled to her feet. Tears came to her eyes as she gasped, frantically pulling at the cold hand holding her hair.

"Aro demands that you eat!"

"Aro can go to hell with you!" She spat, spitting in his face for added emphasis.

Liz was certain that she heard the vampire hiss before another voice called out.

"Felix! Leave her alone!"

While Felix turned to the one who called him, Liz recognized the voice as it belonging to Kyle. Felix smiled and chuckled, wiping his face with his free hand.

"I see that you are still soft towards this...human," Felix told him in disgust, not wavering in holding onto Liz by her hair. "Need I remind you that she is nothing more than an object for the Alpha's son to breed with?"

"And need I remind you that Aro wants her to be alive for that purpose? Or will you be the one that tells Aro that your anger got the best of you and you destroyed his only means of gaining himself his own small army of wolves?" Kyle asked sharply.

A second later, Liz found her hair being released. She rubbed her head to alleviate the pain. While Felix grumbled and left the container, Kyle watched Liz as she sat back down, far away from the plate of food that Felix had left behind.

"I'm sorry about that," Kyle said softly, shaking his head. "You don't deserve this." He paused and sighed, looking around the cold and dark metal container. "This is all his fault."

Liz didn't respond, but slowly looked over at Kyle, seeing his expression of sympathy on his pale face. As though he was approaching a frightened animal, he slowly moved in closer.

"If that filthy dog had just stayed away from you, you wouldn't be in this mess," Kyle stated softly. "When Aro's done with him, I'll kill Nate for forcing you into this position. He's nothing more than an animal."

Liz snorted and averted her attention away from Kyle, but he continued.

"Liz, you and I...we can still be together. I can make an appeal to Aro that once his use for you in breeding his werewolves is complete, you and I can be together again."

Liz gawked at him.

"Are you really that deluded or is that just a vampire thing? I will never willfully choose to be with you."

Kyle smirked. "You do know that Aro is planning on killing you once he gets what he wants. It wont be for many years but I can ensure that no harm would ever come to you."

"Aro wont be getting what he wants," she told him. "I'll die long before that happens."

Kyle paused, looking at the determination on her face before glancing at the uneaten food on the ground.

"You haven't eaten for three days," he said thoughtfully. "You're starving yourself, aren't you."

Liz didn't confirm nor deny it. She continued to glare at him. With an unnecessary deep breath, Kyle crouched down in front of where Liz was sitting. For the first time, she could clearly see the blood red iris' of his eyes and the pale white palour of his skin.

"Okay then," he said quietly with a decisive nod. "I'll help you."

Liz turned her attention to Kyle, not believing what she was hearing. An ounce of hope stirred within her.

"You'll help me get out of here?"

Kyle was taken aback, shocked at the inclination of what she was asking.

"Of course not. I wouldn't be able to get you out of here without the guard being alerted. But if I change you, Aro's plans will be ruined. You wont ever have to have that dog's children and you wont have to starve yourself." He paused and leaned in closer, brushing his hand across her forearm. "And you and I could be together, forever. We could leave this place and spend eternity, just you and I."

Liz gasped, pulling back from him. "You mean, you'd turn me into a vampire, like you."

Kyle nodded and smiled. "It's not as bad as you might think." He paused and shrugged. "Yeah, the first few days are horribly painful, but then you wake up and the world is suddenly clearer. Once you get over that incredible thirst for blood, it's not that bad."

He looked at Liz.

"And for some strange reason, I'm able to be around you and I don't feel the desire to feast on your blood. Don't you understand? You and I are made to be together, not just as humans but as immortals as well."

Liz shook her head emphatically, and slid further away from Kyle.

"Stay the hell away from me!" She spat at him. "I would rather die than be stuck forever with you."

"Liz, you don't know what you're saying! You're confused..."

Anger began to cloud her mind as she glared at him, not at all afraid of the danger she was in with his company.

"You took me from my family, my loved ones...!"

"I did it so that we could be together again," he implored. "We could be a family, you and I. I may have changed physically but I still love you, Liz."

"I hate you!" She shouted, tears in her eyes. "My family is back in La Push and the only one I'll love for the rest of my life is Nathaneal Black. And I'd do everything in my power to protect him as much as he'd protect me, even if that means killing myself so that he wouldn't have to be a slave to the Volturi."

Kyle's face visibly twisted in disgust.

"You're in love with that...dog?! He's a mongrel...an animal! You can't seriously say that you're in love with him."

"He may be a dog, but you are a vile, disgusting creature and I'm not certain if that's an improvement from when you were human."

In a swift burst of anger, Kyle reached out and wrapped his hand around her throat. It required so little effort, but Liz scratched and grabbed at his ice cold hand in an effort to pull his hand from her windpipe. Liz was silent as her mouth opened desperately, her eyes wide as they pleaded for him to let go, to allow oxygen back into her lungs. All that Kyle could see was betrayal.

Just as quickly as it began, Liz found herself on the ground coughing violently as her lungs sucked in air. She gagged a few times before she brought her hand to her neck, still feeling the phantom pain of a hand tightening her windpipe.

She looked over at Kyle as he thrashed on the ground for a few seconds in pain before suddenly slowly sitting up. He looked over towards the entrance of the container and saw Jane standing there, her head cocked to the side as she looked between Kyle and Liz.

"I suggest that you keep your distance from this human," she warned Kyle, glancing over at Liz, who continued to cough. "Aro has no issue with destroying you should your anger get the best of you and you kill her."

"But she's...in love with him...with that dog!"

Jane smiled smugly and nodded. "Aro was aware of it the moment he touched her hand. He also knows that the wolf has marked her as his own as well, bonding them together which will make this process of breeding all the more easier. That is why he felt her to be the perfect female to pair with the wolf."

Kyle looked at Liz in anger, her face red and wet from coughing so much while she gingerly rubbed her neck where bruises were quickly forming.

"He marked you?! Like...he bit you?"

He didn't wait for Liz to respond, but could see the truth in her face. Kyle quickly looked back at Jane who answered for her.

"According to Aro, it was a mutual thing between them. They're in love. Fortunately for her, we can no longer smell her human blood. We're wondering if that animalistic act of marking her has somehow changed our perception of her blood. It's as appealing as the wolves."

"Why didn't you tell me all of this before?!"

"We needed you to lure her away and the only way that we'd ensure that that would happen is if you believed that one day, you and her could be together."

Kyle stood up and in a flash was standing over Jane's smaller figure, anger in his eyes. She smiled sardonically.

"You lied to me."

"It was for the good of the Volturi."

Kyle snorted and glanced back at Liz who sat on the ground, her hand still at her neck in a feeble attempt to cause the pain to disappear.

His anger was no longer directed towards Liz but at the small woman in front of him. Yet he knew how dangerous Jane could be. Instead, he stepped around her towards the doorway and turned one more time towards Liz.

"You've made a terrible mistake," he warned her.

"I'll..." Liz paused, her voice cracking before she decided to whisper, "take my chances."

With a final huff, Kyle left the container.

Jane turned to Liz and smiled.

"He wont be bothering you any longer," she assured her before glancing down at the untouched food. "And I suggest that you do eat. I can be pretty persuasive."

With a final smirk, Jane turned and headed back towards the doorway to the container.

"I'll give you an hour and I expect that food to be gone. Believe me, there are pains that you will endure that are worse than dying of starvation. Just be glad that you aren't on your precious reservation. By tomorrow night, your kind will be an endangered species."

The door shut with a thud, enveloping her once more in complete darkness.

* * *

Three days.

Three, long, agonizing days.

While the pack had been running themselves ragged as they search effortlessly across the state of Washington for Liz, Nate stayed with Billy, just as he had promised Jacob. Jo had come back to La Push once with Sam to inform the elders of their lack of progress as well as update Emily that they hadn't found Liz yet. Sam had also felt the intense need to comfort his imprint. While Charlie spent time with Billy, Sue had visited with Emily and brought Liam over to play with Shawn. But there wasn't anyone who could fill Sam's void. Still, she had been a good distraction for Emily who also asked about how Nate was doing.

Nate was a big concern to not only his family but the entire pack as a whole. Although he hadn't phased since his accident nearly a week prior, they could all sense the intense melancholy in the air. The younger pack who had stayed back to protect La Push did their best to cheer up their friend, even having an impromptu bonefire behind Billy's house; something that Nate always seemed to enjoy. Although he did agree to go to it, he didn't enjoy himself. He appreciated the support from his brothers as they did spend a short time with him before going back on patrol. Once alone with his cousin, Nate apologized to Ryan for not being good company that evening and for being quiet. His cousin shrugged, and insisted that it wasn't a big deal to them. Ryan offerred to put out the dying embers before he took off for his house but Nate told him that he'd do it himself before he went back inside.

With the crickets chirping and the crackling of the fire struggling to stay alive in front of him, Nate decided to add some wood to it. A few seconds later, the fire licked the new kindling, illuminating Nate's face against the darkness of the woods around him. He looked at the growing fire.

' _Just concentrate. Just try.'_

The words that Billy had been telling him over and over the past few days came back to mind as he stared into the embers. Suddenly, Nate shook his head as his eyes crossed from a combination of staring into the fire and the lack of sleep. Grumbling, he put his hands to his face and leaned back against the log behind him.

 _'The Spirits of our ancestors are all around us,'_ Billy would tell him. ' _They speak to us and as a Spirit Warrior, you have a special connection to them just like you have a connection to Liz. You are a future Alpha. Let your ancestors guide you.'_

 _"_ I can't hear her and I'm not hearing them," Nate mumbled aloud from behind his hands. "The Spirits are silent."

 _'Listen carefully.'_

Nate growled aloud and pounded his hands against the grass beside him.

"I can't hear anything!" He shouted. "You don't seem to get that!"

' _Try again.'_

Nate gasped, as this time the voice didn't belong to his grandfather, but to a voice that seemed to haunt him whenever he slept. His entire being, every nerve became attentive to the voice. It called to him and brought life into his lungs.

"Liz?" He whispered desperately.

He paused before he growled and pinched his eyes shut, angry at the cruel twisted joke that his mind seemed to be playing with him. Grumbling, he stood up and ran his hands through his hair, tugging on the ends before he chuckled incredulously.

"I've finally gone insane. I'm hearing her in my head when I'm awake and I'm talking to myself."

His muscles trembled along his arms as he snarled, desperation within that wolf as it clawed its way to the surface once again. Nate stumbled away from the glowing fire and pulled his shirt from over his head, dropping it on the ground as he fell to his knees, panting. He grasped at his chest as it painfully ached once again.

He vaguely heard the sound of the front door squeaking in protest as it was quickly opened and slammed.

"Nate! Damn it! Billy, something's wrong with Nate!"

Charlie's shouting causing Billy to quickly roll to the front porch just as the police chief raced across his back lawn to where Nate was laying on the ground, groaning in pain.

"Charlie! Don't get too close to him!"

Although he was aware that he wasn't supposed to, Charlie knew that Nate could phase at anytime. Yet somehow knowing that this was something else entirely, he bent over and wrapped his arm around Nate's side and pulled him to his feet. It wasn't an easy task being that Nate was a good foot taller than him and weight considerably more.

"Holy shit, son, what's going on?!"

"I don't know," Nate replied, pitifully. "It hurts."

"Bring him over by the fire," Billy instructed as he rolled down the ramp outside of his house and slowly made his way across the lawn.

Charlie helped Nate across the grass, back to the smouldering fire before going back to help Billy. The Quileute chief thanked his friend and told him to go back inside and finish watching the game without him. Charlie paused, not entirely certain if it was wise leaving Billy and Nate alone.

"We'll be fine," Billy stated, looking over at Nate across the fire as he sat silently on the grass although his brow was furrowed, masking his pain.

After a few seconds and a slight hesitation, Charlie went back inside the house.

The moment the door closed and he knew beyond a shadow of a doubt that they were alone, he spoke.

"You're still in pain."

Nate took an unsteady breath and gave a brief nod.

"When did it start?"

"Just a few minutes ago before you and Charlie came out," he replied quickly.

"Still now?"

Nate nodded, pinching his eyes shut.

"I have to believe that it's the imprint pulling on you."

Nate shook his head adamantly. "No, this is different. It's always been a tugging, aching pain...this...this is physical pain, worse than anything I've felt before within the imprint."

He looked up at Billy, fear in his eyes.

"It's Liz. She's hurt."

Billy quickly shook his head, desperate to alleviate that fear before it consumed his grandson.

"You can't be certain of that."

Nate puffed out a breath.

"Then, what the hell could it be? This pain is rivalling that of getting my back torn open by a couple of leeches. If she's enduring this too..."

Nate paused as his fists clenched and a snarl came to his lips.

Billy watched, seeing the muscles on Nate's shoulders roll like waves.

"Focus," Billy suddenly said. "If this is your connection to Liz, you need to focus and use that cognitive ability to find her."

"How do I focus when all I want to do is phase and find the first leech I can and rip it apart?!" Nate snarled through his teeth. He was about to stand up in frustration when a sudden, yet unusual Alpha timbre came right out of Billy.

"Sit and focus," he said, the timbre dripping so that the Spirit Warrior within Nate had no choice but feel compelled to obey. In any other circumstance, Billy would have been an Alpha within his generation. Although that gene was never activated, he still possessed it and held that authority to the point that the wolf within Nate felt it.

Nate took a deep breath, ignoring the pain as best as he could and closed his eyes, hoping that it would help.

Across the fire, Billy spoke aloud in Quileute, just as he had many times before but this time, was different. This time, Billy could admit that he felt the power of his ancestors around them as they sat in front of the small fire. He watched his grandson, his broad chest rising and falling with each deep breath that he took while Billy continued to speak. A small smile came to his face as pride washed over him as he knew that they were finally getting somewhere. It pained him that Nate had to get to this point of desperation but he was in awe of the power that seemed to radiate from his grandson as he sat, straight backed in front of the fire.

For Nate, his grandfathers words seemed to fade into the background and the scent of smoke disappeared. A scent that he recongized so well flooded his senses and he couldn't help but take a deep breath.

She was so close. He could almost reach out and touch her.

"I feel her," Nate suddenly said, causing Billy to stop speaking aloud.

"Where?"

Nate winced, his eyes still shut as frustration began to overwhelm him. Billy quickly recognized it and changed his line of questioning.

"How do you know?"

"I can smell her," he said, a small smile on his face. "And it's cold."

"Can you talk to her?"

Nate took a deep breath, trying to open his mind further as he had whenever he held her hand. Colours, lights and memories flooded into his mind, startling him somewhat, causing him to gasp aloud before a smile came to his face. The sounds around him suddenly faded into the darkness.

 _Nate opened his eyes, finding himself standing on the beach in broad daylight. The sun felt warm on his skin. The same scent surrounded him when he felt someone touch his shoulder._

' _Nate?'_

 _He turned, instantly recognizing the voice. The face in front of him brought a million emotions to the surface. Hope, longing, desperation..._

 _Liz smiled just as he wrapped his arms around her, picking her feet right off the ground and kissed her. He heard her giggle against his mouth and run her hands up his neck and into his hair._

 _"This is too wonderful to be real," Liz said, taking in every detail of Nate's face, finding it impossible to think that he was there._

 _'I am real,' Nate told her._

 _Liz shook her head. 'I'm alone. You're not here.'_

 _'I'm here with you, here,' he thought, gently touching her forehead._

 _Liz's eyes widened. 'How?'_

 _Nate chuckled and shrugged. 'I don't understand it, but I finally figured it out.'_

 _He picked her up once again and kissed her. 'God, I miss you. Are you okay? Did they hurt you?'_

 _'I'll be fine,' she thought, purposely not thinking about the pain it took to swallow and talk._

 _'You have to tell me where you are.'_

 _Liz ran her fingers over Nate's face._

 _'I don't know where I am. I've been locked up inside a large metal container.'_

 _'A container? Like a shipping container?'_

 _'Maybe,' Liz thought with a shrug. 'And it's really cold.'_ _She looked at her fingers within the warmth of their shared daydream. 'My hands were so cold last night. They hurt.'_

 _Nate wrapped his hands around her own and sighed._

 _'We'll find you. The entire pack is searching. If you have any clues, anything at all that may help...'_

 _Liz sighed and closed her eyes. 'I don't know what to tell you. But I do know that they are planning on attacking La Push before the end of tomorrow.'_

 _'Tomorrow? You're sure?'_

 _Liz quickly replayed the memory involving Jane mentioning the Volturi's attack._

 _'Dammit,' Nate cursed. 'We have to find you._ _How long was it from when you saw Talon before you were in that metal container?'_

 _She shrugged. 'I don't know...forty-five minutes, an hour at the most. I didn't see anything. He ran the entire time.'_

 _'He...you mean Kyle. He's the one who took you.'_

 _Liz nodded._

 _'I'm going to kill him and find you.'_

 _'Nate, you can't come after me.'_

 _'What? Liz, I'm going to come find you the moment that I can phase again.'_

 _'No, you can't. Their leader Aro, wants you to come for me. He's banking on it.'_

 _Nate growled. 'I'm not going to leave you with the Volturi. None of us will allow that. If it comes to it, I'll trade myself for you.'_

 _Liz shook her head. 'Aro wont go for that. He wants the both of us and he knows you wont leave me behind.'_

 _'Both of us? You're not a wolf. What could he want with you?'_

 _Not wanting to even say it aloud, Liz brought up her memory of when she had met Aro, everything from when he held her hand, to knowing Nate's name all the way to explaining her purpose within Aro's plan._

 _Nate squeezed Liz's hands and looked at her face._

 _'He wants you and I...he wants our future children?!'_

 _Liz nodded and sighed. 'It's all part of his plan to destroy all the other vampire coven's in the world. I have a feeling that he figures that raising our children and them being around vampires their entire lives, that he'll have devoted shape shifters at his side to do his orders and he'll be more powerful.'_

 _Nate snorted. 'Jokes on him. He wont get that far. We'll find you and destroy them. The Romanians are here and are ready for when the Voturi attack. We're going to fight along side them and end this once and for all.'_

 _Liz leaned up and wrapped her arms around Nate's neck, resting her forehead against his own._

 _'I wish this was real,' she thought softly._

 _Nate smirked. 'I'll see you very soon and this will can be real.'_

 _'I don't want to let you go.'_

 _Tears were in her eyes this time as she thought those words._

 _'It's so cold here and they're forcing me to eat,' she thought, remembering throwing up right after obeying Jane and recalling her threat. Liz would eat, but nothing would stay down._

 _'It's the imprint's affect on us being apart,' Nate told her. 'I'm feeling it too. I haven't eaten much and I haven't slept more than a few hours.'_

 _Liz nodded. 'I get woken in the night by the trains that come by in the distance.'_

 _Nate paused, hearing her thoughts._

 _'Trains? You're hearing trains?'_

 _Liz nodded once again. 'They blare their horns twice at night and seven times during the day. It's far away though.'_

 _Nate smiled broadly. 'That doesn't matter. At least we could narrow down where you are.'_

 _He leaned in and kissed her once again, reluctantly breaking the kiss._

 _'I need to let the rest of the pack know this and about the attack,' Nate told her, holding her face within his hands. 'But I can't let you go.'_

 _Liz took a deep breath and sighed aloud._

 _'Nate, I understand.'_

 _'We will be together again,' Nate assured her, vowing that it would be regardless of whether they were in La Push or with the Volturi. 'I promise you.'_

 _Nate still didn't let her go and by his facial expression, he wasn't wanting to._

 _'Nate, you need to go,' Liz told him. 'You need to warn them.'_

 _Nate leaned in and rested his chin against her head._

 _'I know. As my imprint, you're going to have to tell me that you need me to go. I can't let you go.'_

 _He felt her lungs deflate from the agony of doing such a thing._

 _'I'm not really here,' he reminded her softly. 'I'm in La Push, remember.'_

 _Liz nodded silently, yet he could feel her choking back a sob._

 _'Nate,' she spoke softly, not trusting her voice. 'I need you to go.'_

 _He took a deep breath and slowly released her, the agony of her words evident on his face, yet quietly, he thanked her._

 _Slowly, Nate backed up, his feet sinking in the sand with each step. Liz put her hand to her mouth, in an effort to silence her tears. The sweet scent suddenly disappeared, the echoes of Liz's cries dying quickly in the distance._

With a gasp, Nate opened his eyes and fell back from his knees onto his bottom. Emotionally, he was spent as tears came down his cheeks.

"You spoke with her," Billy said softly, knowing that he was right.

Nate nodded before taking a deep breath and rubbing the tears away.

"I need to get ahold of the pack."

* * *

A large map spread out on Billy's kitchen table, while Charlie leaned over it with Jacob on one side of him and Sam on the other. Nate sat in a chair beside Billy, still physically and emotionally spent from having seen into Liz's mind and conversed with her but being unable to touch her. It was a special kind of torture that as sweet as it was, he didn't want to endure it again. Jo stood behind him, her hands on his shoulders, giving him comfort after hearing what he had gone through from Billy.

"If vampires can run as fast as you say they do, in an hour, you're looking at a radius spanning most of Washington, lower section of BC and parts of Oregon. Thankfully, we don't have to look west into the ocean, so it narrows it down a bit," Charlie said.

He drew a circle on the map coming out from La Push, encompassing the lower section of British Columbia into the United States.

"I'm still thinking we should search in the higher elevations," Jacob stated, glancing over at Nate. "If Liz commented that she was cold, chances are she's in the mountains somewhere."

"We're looking at hundreds of miles of area of cover, Jake," Sam stated, pointing at the map. "What about the part with the trains she was hearing?"

Jacob looked back at Nate. "You said she mentioned hearing them twice in the night?"

Nate nodded weakly. "She said they were in the distance. If she's in the mountains, the sound could bounce from miles away."

Jacob smiled at Nate. "It gives us something to work with."

"I can make a few calls tomorrow morning," Charlie said. "I've got some contacts with the railroad. They may have some insight where the active lines are within the state."

"We have bigger issues though," Billy said thoughtfully, as he looked down at the map.

Jacob nodded. "I sent Seth to inform the Cullen's. I'm sure they'll relay the information to the Romanians. We're going to have to set up a perimeter around La Push if this is going to be the focus of their attack."

Billy looked up at Charlie. "You, Sue and the grandkids are welcome to stay with me."

"Our patrols come right past the house," Jacob told Charlie. "You'd be safest here."

"What about Liz? We're going to look for her too, right?"

Jacob sighed, glancing at Nate. "That's where this may get hard. We have a duty to protect La Push and to protect imprints. So, I'm going to send Sam with a small group to scout out areas. I wont be sending the whole pack out again until we know her precise location so we can plan a way to get her out safely. The moment we get a scent of a vampire on our land, they're coming back. With an attack on the Rez within the next day or so, I'm not going to leave La Push unguarded nor am I going to provoke the Volturi to harm Liz."

Nate shook his head. "They wont harm her."

Jacob paused. "Why do you say that?"

"Because according to them, they need her. They wouldn't risk killing her."

"Need her for what?" Sam asked, his voice demanding.

Nate swallowed, feeling the intense gaze of Liz's father on him.

"Liz told me that their plan is to use her to get me."

Jacob nodded. "We already figured that one out."

"But it's more than that. Aro wants to create his own collective of shape shifters."

"His own collective?" Sam said, looking at Nate. His eyes widened and fists clenched when he realizing the implications that Nate was meaning. "You mean, from you and Lizzie."

Nate nodded.

"Oh god. That's sick," Jo gasped, looking up at Jacob in horror. "Our grandchildren being raised by vampires!?"

"That wont be happening," Sam growled.

Jacob nodded in agreement.

"We're going to start heavier patrol rotations," Jacob said firmly, before looking up Jo. "I'll ensure a tighter patrol with the younger wolves around the pack families. Sam, head out as soon as you're ready."

With a light squeeze, Jo passed Nate and headed with Sam towards the door. While Nate stood up from the table, Charlie put his hand on Jacob's shoulder, causing him to turn to him.

"I...uh...I understand that you've been working with a few of the Cullen's," he said, somewhat awkwardly.

Jacob nodded. "They've been a great asset to us."

"I was wondering if you could pass this along," Charlie said, pulling a folded up letter from his pocket. He held it out towards Jacob. "See if they can get it to Bella. It would mean a lot to me."

Jacob took the letter and carefully placed it into his back cutoff pocket. "I'm sure that can be arranged."

He clapped Charlie on the shoulder before moving past him to leave the house just as Sam had. Nate followed quickly behind.

"Dad!" he called out, causing Jacob to turn just as he stepped onto the grass. The rest of the pack, minus a few who were patrolling were waiting in the yard for him.

"What is it Nate?"

"I want to go with Sam."

Jacob shook his head. "You can't phase yet."

"Dad, it's been nearly a week! I'm sure I'll be fine."

Still, Jacob shook his head.

"I wont allow it. You know the Volturi's plans for you and Liz. You're to remain on the reservation and stay with Billy until this is over. We'll get word to you when we have her."

Jacob turned to leave. From his point of view, it was the end of the discussion but for Nate, he wasn't about to let it go - Not by a long shot.

"Like hell I am!" He shouted at Jacob's back. "Liz is my imprint! You can't keep her from me!"

Jacob turned, his face softening at hearing Nate's declaration made aloud. The Alpha within him would've normally disliked being challenged but this was different. This was his son - the future Alpha.

"You know that I'm not keeping her away from you," Jacob told him, firmly. "I'm doing this to protect the both of you. Nate, you're too close to this. I need clear heads and yours is far from it."

Nate looked over to where Sam was speaking with a few of the pack members he chose to bring with him. To his surprise, Talon was standing beside Sam, preparing to leave.

"What about Talon and Sam!? They're both close to this."

Jacob growled in his throat. His son wasn't going to back down from his decision.

"Not like you are," Jacob shot back. "We've all seen the affects being away from your imprint has had on you both mentally and physically. You haven't slept much and you haven't eaten properly in days. Sending you with them would be dangerous, not only for the pack but for Liz and you as a couple. You're staying here to protect the people in this house and that's final."

Nate could hear the strong Alpha timbre in Jacob's voice as he finished speaking. He watched as Jacob moved towards the remaining pack members, delegating who would be doing what and going where around the reservation. He stood on the porch, Billy at his side as he watched Charlie leave to pick up Sue, Liam and Sarah while the pack disappear into the woods.

"You have to understand that for your Dad, this was a hard decision to leave you behind," Billy told him softly. "It isn't easy to see his son in emotional pain. But he's doing it for your safety...for your future's safety and that's important not only to him, but to the entire pack."

Nate sighed and nodded curtly, watching the dark woods around them. "I know."


	35. Chapter 35

Nate laid on the living room floor, giving the couch to Liam while Charlie and Sue took the twins' old room and Sarah slept in Jacob's old room. He stared up at the ceiling, his arm under his head as he listened to Liam's heavy breathing. He couldn't help but envy his siblings. While Sarah was intuitive and had been asking Billy and Charlie questions about where their parents were and why they were suddenly sleeping over, Liam was carefree, enjoying the moment. If he was just a few years older, Nate was certain that Liam would have joined him within the pack. Based on hearing Jacob's thoughts, Nate knew that for a while, his Dad was even concerned about Sarah given that both his Mom and Aunt Leah had phased. It seemed that for him and his siblings, having both parents within the pack, made them all a shoo-in for phasing. But thankfully, it seemed that no one else were showing symptoms of phasing, even with the abundance of vampires in the area.

Once again, he didn't sleep much but merely dozed in the dark living room, his mind preoccupied with all things Liz Uley. Nate closed his eyes often and replayed his shared daydream that he had with Liz in his mind. He wished that he had catalogued more detail than he had in those few short minutes. As tormented as he was knowing it was only a dream, it comforted him, reminding him that she was all right and that for the time being, the Volturi wouldn't hurt her.

Still, his foot twitched restlessly as he laid on the ground, staring up at the ceiling while Liam's heavy breathing echoed loudly in the room. He was certain that without Jacob's order, he'd be out searching relentlessly for Liz. The wolf within itched to get out of the house, to stretch his legs and to feel the comfort of his pack brothers. He desperately wanted to know how the search was going. Ryan had stopped by once shortly after everyone had gone to bed. He had knocked softly on the door and said that the reservation was all clear. The Cullen's were sharing in the patrols, keeping to their side of the border as much as possible as to not obscure the scent on the reservation.

When they all awoke the next morning, Liam was thrilled to find out that he wasn't going to school that day. While Liam rejoiced with having the opportunity to spend a day with both his Grandpa Billy and Uncle Charlie, Sarah was confused. She had asked Sue many questions regarding the conference that their parents were supposedly at and then about Charlie's sudden decision to fumigate his house. Her responses were to the point before she offerred to bring her over to hang out with her cousin Amy for the day over at the Lahote's down the road while Nicholas came over to play with Liam. While Sarah agreed, she was still curious.

Charlie spent his day on the phone with a large map spread out on Billy's kitchen table. He had called his contacts with the railway and narrowed down the search area even further before Billy gave Sam a call to let him know.

All around them, the pack continued with thier patrol, well aware of the movements of the imprints, the children and their loved ones within the reservation. Information and locations were being passed mentally throughout the pack while they raced around the perimeter of La Push. It seemed as though everyone was on edge, anticipating the attack that Liz had warned them about. Although he hadn't phased, Nate could sense the apprehension in the air. He spent most of his day standing silently on Billy's front porch or walking around the property, just listening to the sounds of the woods that were talking to him. His keen eyes had spotted Jonah race past a few times and then every so often, he'd see Quil or somoene else who had given them a short break.

"I'm sure that you're well enough to join them now," Sue had told him earlier that morning as she joined him on the porch with a cup of coffee. She hadn't slept much knowing what her kids were about to go through for the second time in their lives.

Nate shrugged. "It doesn't matter anyways. I've been ordered to stay on two feet and protect this house and the people in it. Besides, I doubt Dad and Uncle Paul want either Liam or Nick to see a giant wolf in their grandpa's back yard."

A small smile came to Sue's face as she heard the humour in Nate's voice. "I suppose you are right."

Later on that evening, clouds began to build in from the coast as the temperature dropped. Thunder began to rumble in the distance as Rachel walked beside her daughter Amy and niece, Sarah as they walked along the road towards Billy's house. Although Paul had warned her to stay indoors after sunset, it wasn't anywhere near dusk. When Embry suddenly jumped out from within the woods, wide-eyed, barefoot and in cutoffs, the two younger girls screamed in shock. Amy and Sarah grabbed ahold of Rachel's arms and ducked behind her, not recognizing him as Embry Call. Embry moved towards Rachel.

"You all have to get out of here, now," he said quickly, looking at her firmly and seriously.

Rachel stared at him in surprise.

"Paul said that nothing was expected until after dark."

"We think it's already started," Embry told her, gently taking her by the arm and leading her towards Billy's house. "Quil scented two leeches that we don't recognize just inside the reservation border. He sent me back to warn everyone. When you weren't at home I went looking for you."

Rachel didn't need to be told twice. She grabbed ahold of Amy by the arm while Embry pulled Sarah along.

"Mom! I'm moving as fast as I can."

"I need you to run," she urged, causing both girls to quicken their steps.

Inside Billy's house, Nate suddenly stood up from the supper table, causing everyone to pause in both concern and confusion. Although they had been told the the attack was anticipated for that evening, they had been on edge all afternoon.

"Someone's here," Nate said, moving around from the table towards the front door. Charlie stood up too, his hand instinctively going to his hip while Sue and Billy watched Nate in concern. Liam and Nicholas continued to eat while they watched the adults around the table.

Nate opened the front door just as Rachel, Sarah and Amy quickly moved into the house with Embry on their heels.

"They need to stay here," Embry said curtly, looking seriously at Nate. "Unknown leeches are on our land."

Nate nodded, knowing what that could mean. While Embry quickly closed the door behind him, Nate moved closer to the door and watched him disappear into the woods from the window.

"Rachel, Amy, Sarah, come join us," Billy said, putting a smile on his face for his daughter and grand-daughter's benefits. "Sue here has made us a wonderful dinner and I'm sure that there is more than enough for everyone."

Sue nodded, and wringed her hands together nervously before she grabbed another couple of plates.

"Of course there is," she added, placing some potatoes on the plate. She didn't realize how much her hand was shaking until Charlie suddenly came up behind her and put a steady hand beneath her own. With his other hand, he comfortingly squeezed the back of her neck.

"Allow me," he said softly, taking the plates of food from her and brought them to the table. With a smile, he placed them in front of the girls.

"Mom, I thought leeches live in ponds," Nicholas suddenly said, causing the adults to take pause and suddenly look at him.

"They do, Nick," Amy told her brother with a roll of her eyes. "And they love to suck your blood."

Sarah laughed at Amy's best Dracula impression. It certainly wasn't amusing to the adults in the room.

"Amy, enough of that," Rachel said sternly. "We're not going to talk about sucking blood anymore, especially at the table while we're eating."

"But that's what they do, Aunt Rachel," Liam piped up. "It doesn't hurt or anything. I had one stuck to my leg once when I was playing in the river. Dad pulled it off."

Sarah winced, remembering that occasion before she recalled Embry's words.

"But why was Mr. Call saying that there were leeches on the land?"

"And why didn't he have shoes on!?" Liam added.

"He had no shirt on either," Nicholas piped in. "It's freezing out!"

"Boys," Billy said, leaning towards them, "finish eating and I'm certain that I can find some ice cream in the freezer."

Liam and Nicholas didn't need to be told again. With a smile, they both continued to eat. Billy caught Rachel give him an appreciative nod before he looked up at Nate, who was still standing by the door. He watched as Sue approached him, gently touching his back.

"Nate, honey," she began softly, "you barely ate. Can I get you something else?"

Nate simply shook his head. "I'm not hungry anymore."

"I think it's important that you build up your energy that you have lost over the past few days."

Nate turned to her and forced a smile for the benefit of the younger people in the room.

"I'm fine, Aunt Sue," he said. "But I think I will get some fresh air."

With that, he opened the front door and closed it behind him.

Out on the porch, Nate could hear the conversations continue inside. Nate heard Billy back him up in assuring Sue that he was fine and to allow him to do his job. It was obvious that Sue didn't agree with the comment as he heard her huff.

" _Billy, they're just kids - our kids and your grandsons."_

He heard Billy sigh. _"I know_. _But they_ _were born for this. We need to trust them_.'

Nate stepped away from the door, focusing his attention on the woods surrounding them. The crickets chirped as the thunder continued to roll in from the distance, becoming louder as it approached. The wind picked up as the lightening illuminated the trees within the darkness.

In the distance, Nate saw a quick flash of colour, his nostrils flaring as the scent blew towards him in the strengthening wind.

Vampire.

Right behind it, he saw a pair of wolves chase it down; Seth and Jonah. He stepped off the porch as the rain began to fall, watching the woods carefully around him for any other vampires.

Inside the house, a chorus of footsteps rushing towards the front door caught his attention as the door suddenly opened and Liam bounded out onto the porch behind him.

"Nate! Wanna watch a movie with us? Nick says that..."

Nate swiftly turned to his brother, holding in a growl as the wolf was close to the surface after having scented the vampire within a hundred feet of the house.

"Get inside!" He all but snarled, the Alpha command still holding him firmly from phasing.

The smile on Liam's face fell just as Charlie quickly rushed onto the porch and grabbed ahold of the boy's arm.

"Come on, Liam," Charlie said calmly, eyeing Nate standing in the rain as his muscles vibrated. "I'll watch a show with you guys."

But Liam wasn't listening. His eyes were concerned for his older brother.

"What are you doing in the rain? You okay, Nate?"

Nate didn't turn but merely breathed deeply, in an attempt to calm both his anxiety over his brother's safety and the anger due to the proximity of the vampire that had just passed by the house.

Charlie coaxed Liam once again and with a final glance, he turned to go into the house just as a scream cut the night air.

Nate quickly turned back towards the house, while Charlie and Liam paused inside the doorway.

He recognized the voice.

"Sarah," Nate breathed out before running up the front steps and into the house behind his younger brother and Charlie.

Rachel was already moving down the hallway with Nicholas at her side. Billy was rolling his way after her towards Jacob's old room where the girls were getting ready for bed. Nate rushed in behind him, his eyes scanning for his sister and cousin.

"I just saw a man looking in the window," Sarah gasped, holding her hand to her chest. Amy nodded, pulling the blankets closer to herself.

While Rachel attempted to calm the girls and dismiss it as it being their imagination, Billy looked ominously towards Nate. Billy knew that his grandson knew more than he was letting on. The older man could sense it in the air - something was nearby.

Leaving his Aunt Rachel to deal with his sister and cousin's legitimate fears, Nate turned to head back towards the porch just as the same scent that he had detected outside drifted into the house. He paused, a snarl rumbling in his chest. Billy's eyes widened as the sound was profound and everyone in the room heard it. Before Sarah or Amy could question him, Nate moved down the hallway, every instinct within him begging for him to phase in order to protect his family.

That's when he heard Sue gasp.

"Oh my god! Charlie!"

Nate turned to the living room where he had passed Charlie and Liam before he went to investigate why his sister had screamed.

Charlie laid on the ground, blood coming out of his nose. He seemed dazed and extremely confused as he brought his hand to his face and winced. Sue was quickly at his side, ensuring that the bloody nose was the only issue he had.

"What the hell?" He breathed. "Where did he...?" Charlie winced at the pain radiating from his face as he glanced around the room, eyes wide. "You didn't see him?"

"See who?"

"He was just...here." Charlie paused and looked around, just as Billy passed Sue a roll of paper towels. "At the door. There was a man there and now he's...gone."

"Charlie, where's Liam?" Billy asked.

Charlie's eyes widened as a snarl ripped in the back of Nate's throat.

As though on command, they heard Liam shout for his grandpa in a tone that sent chills down Billy's back. His cries were coming from outside the house. With a flick of his wrist, Billy quickly turned towards the doorway, every instinct calling to him to come to his grandson's aid.

Nate quickly moved ahead of him, stopping him in his tracks, just as another voice called out from outside the front door.

"Alpha's son," the vampire called out sweetly. "I have a present for you."

Billy was breathing deeply, his own anger matching that of Nate's. He met his grandson's intense gaze.

"We have to call Jacob."

But Nate shook his head.

"He wants me. Besides, I'm betting that Dad already knows," Nate told him, quickly scanning the room to ensure everyone else was safe. He saw his Aunt Rachel who held onto Nicholas who was in tears before seeing his younger sister and his cousin Amy standing in the hallway, their eyes wide with fear. "Stay inside."

His command was recieved with silent nods before he turned. Billy grabbed ahold of his wrist as he put his hand on the doorknob.

"Be careful," he said softly, tears in his eyes. "Your Dad ordered you not to phase."

Nate nodded, remembering that sobering fact.

"I wont let a leech hurt my family," he growled before he swiftly opened the door. The strong scent hit him like a brick wall. He felt the intense desire to phase and to throw up. But the alpha's orders held fast as did Nate's strong stomach.

Nate quickly shut the door behind him and moved off the porch, seeing the vampire standing in the yard with Liam in one hand and a leather satchel in the other.

Within the woods, Nate could see two wolves pacing, watching the exchange. They wouldn't dare make a move while Liam, their Alpha's youngest son was being held in such close proximity to their enemy. Still, Nate wished he could hear their thoughts, if only to work together to destroy this threat against his brother.

"Let him go," Nate demanded, snarling each word.

The vampire smirked, glancing at Liam as he sobbed while he held his upper arm within his hand.

"Yeah right," he said with an incredulous laugh, gesturing to the woods behind him. "This kid is my insurance. I know that if I let him go, your friends back there would undoubtedly rip me apart before I could give you this gift."

He gestured to the satchel in his free hand.

"I don't want anything from you."

"Oh, but you do."

The vampire tossed it on the ground towards Nate's feet. "Consider it an offering from Aro. He has something precious of yours that I'm certain that you'll want back. Follow the scent that I left for you and it'll lead you right to her."

Liz.

Nate knew exactly whom the vampire was referring to and according to the Volturi, the pack wasn't aware of what had happened to her or their intentions. But to discover that they had left a trail that would ultimately lead him to Liz, Nate had to hold himself back from moving to fast towards the satchel on the ground. He knew that the trail the vampire left was a trap but his logical mind was locked in a disagreement with his heart. It was an internal fight that caused him to growl aloud.

Slowly, Nate crouched down, his eyes still focused on the vampire as he picked up the satchel. The thing reeked like rancid vinegar mixed with sweet cotton candy; the disgusting scent of a vampire.

"I suspect you'll find the gift I've brought to be quite...interesting."

Nate carefully opened it, not wanting to touch it more than he had to. The moment he lifted the flap, the most aromatic scent plunged into his senses. The wolf inside purred in delight. Nate couldn't help but take a step back in shock as it caused such a physical reaction within him.

The vampire smirked, pleased that it had the affect that Aro suspected that it would.

Nate reached into the bag and pulled out a handful of dark hair. He clutched it within his fist and his hand began to tremble when he realized that it was Liz's hair.

Nate's arms trembled as another growl rolled from his chest. He could feel the heat expand from his chest, hearing Liam's cries in fear as the rain pelted down on them. Still, he could feel Jacob's Alpha order preventing him from phasing loosening it's hold on him. It was like a vice that was being stretched, no longer able to rein in the power that Nate controlled. Nate growled loudly in frustration.

"I'm going to kill you," he growled, glaring darkly at the vampire.

As though a dam suddenly broke within him, Nate exploded, fur replacing skin as his bones elongated and shifted into position. Clothing tore, the ripping heard loudly before Nate landed on four feet.

 _'Dude! How the hell...!? You broke an alpha order!'_ Ryan exclaimed.

The voices of his brothers echoed in his mind as the news travelled throughout the pack and what it could mean. Nate's anger penetrated the pack as thoughts of holding Liz's cut hair in his hand brought a pain so deep that he couldn't hold it in. The news also travelled to the Cullen's via Edward being able to listen into the pack conversations. Knowing that Liam was in danger and Nate's focus clearly not on his brother, with Jacob's permission, Bella and Alice raced through the woods towards Billy's house.

Nate fought to focus, hearing Liam's cries and seeing his wide and fearful eyes at what he had just seen happen to his older brother. He huffed and glared at the vampire.

The vampire pulled Liam close to him although the boy squirmed in its cold grasp. In his mind, Nate directed Derek and Ryan who were pacing in the woods what to do. They followed his directive, all the while Nate growled loudly and paw'd at the ground.

"I'll kill him before you even touch me, dog," the vampire warned him. Behind him, Derek prowled out from the covering as he approached from behind, leaving Ryan hidden. Aware that the vampire's threat was legit, he moved in slowly. Just as he moved out, both Bella and Alice dropped to the ground beside Ryan, watching the exchange from inside the treeline.

"Tell Nate that we'll get his brother out of there before you attack," Bella said softly to Ryan, who nodded.

Alice looked to Bella before she nodded. In a blink of an eye, they raced towards the vampire. While Bella grabbed ahold of Liam, Alice grabbed the vampire's arm, ripping it clear off his body.

The vampire barely screamed for a second before Nate, Derek and then Ryan joined in, jumping at it, ripping it apart. Instinctively, Bella turned with Liam, blocking the younger boy from having to watch such a horrid scene. The sounds that the vampire made as it was being torn apart were unearthly. Liam continued to cry, and struggle, desperate to get away from Bella's tight grasp and run back to the safety of the house.

Seeing Ryan, Derek and Alice quickly picking up the pieces in the darkness and running them into the woods to set ablaze, Bella let Liam go, causing him to stumble back slightly before he turned to see a pair of wolves walking back towards the house. Billy had rolled out the doorway and said a few words to the wolves before he turned and called out for Liam, his voice wavering slightly in worry. Liam looked up at Bella in fear, but she smiled back at him, encouraging him to go.

"It's okay. The wolves wont hurt you," she assured him.

Still, Liam didn't move. He was in shock. He stood between a woman who could move as fast as lightening and creatures that were certainly conjured up from his worst nightmares. Suddenly, he heard his Dad calling his name just before he saw him running out from the treeline.

"Daddy?"

Jacob quickly dropped to his knees in front of Liam just as the young boy wrapped his arms around his neck and sobbed.

"You're okay," Jacob said soothingly, running his hand on his son's back before he stood up. "I'm here. You're safe."

Liam held tight to Jacob's neck, and he didn't mind one bit. He had seen what his son had just gone through, having seen the entire event play out through Nate's eyes. He looked over at Bella, who watched the loving father-son exchange.

"Thank you," Jacob told her softly.

Bella nodded, smiling.

Concerned for Liam, Charlie had run off of Billy's porch, despite Billy's protesting. He sighed in relief when he saw the young boy in Jacob's arms.

"Oh thank god," Charlie breathed out, causing Liam to look up at him and Jacob to turn. "Are you okay, Liam?"

While Liam didn't respond, Jacob nodded. "I think he'll be okay. He's just a little shaken up."

Charlie smiled weakly. "I know the feeling. Those wolves are a little overwhelming, aren't they, buddy."

"Uncle Charlie, I saw...Nate...he...he turned into a wolf."

Charlie chuckled uncomfortably, glancing up at Jacob before looking back at Liam. "Yeah, I know, pal. I'll leave your grandpa and your Dad here to explain that one to you. They have more experience with this kind of thing than I do."

Realizing that they weren't alone, Charlie looked past Jacob and for a moment he couldn't believe his eyes. The confusion in them softened to disbelief. Even drenched in the rain, he'd recognize her.

"Bells?" He breathed.

Feeling the need to give them some privacy, Jacob stepped back and turned to bring Liam back to the house.

Bella smiled but it fell when she saw his face, the swollen nose and bruises beneath his eyes. "Dad, are you okay?"

Charlie smirked, remembering his bloody nose and nodded.

"I'm fine, Bella. Just a run-in with that vampire."

"It's nice to hear you say my name. I've missed hearing your voice."

Charlie continued to comfort Liam by rubbing his back. Charlie had to remind himself that this was reality; that this really was Bella in front of him, although she didn't look like the same girl he remembered.

"I heard that you were alive," Charlie said, clearing his throat. "And in town."

Bella nodded. "I got your letter that you gave to Jake." She sighed. "I'm sorry for what I put you through. I was hoping we could move on from all that."

Charlie huffed out an incredulous breath. "Bells, I have moved on. Hell, I buried you along with all the dreams I ever had for ya. I gave that letter to Jake to give to you to remind you that your decision didn't just affect you, but those around you. I'll always love you, Bells, but there's no way that you can make up for 16 years."

"And I'm sorry for that, I really am," Bella implored to him. "I couldn't live my life without Edward. I thought that you could understand that." She paused and looked behind him where Sue had come out onto the porch and looked on in concern. "You married Sue - could you imagine your life without her?"

"It's not the same, Bella," Charlie stated, growing in frustration. "I didn't give up the rest of my life, my family and friends, just to spend my life with her. You leaving, left a hole in my chest."

He paused and looked over at Billy's porch to see Jacob put Liam down. Billy bent over and hugged the young boy.

"And these kids," he began, "Jacob's kids, Seth's daughter and all the others, filled it in a way I never thought anyone could. They're my children as much as you were."

Bella nodded in understanding and put her hands into her pockets.

"Maybe, when all of this is over, we could talk some more," Bella said softly, but meant it more as a question.

Charlie swallowed and nodded. In the distance, by the treeline, he could make out the outline of a figure. He recognized the pixie hair cut and knew who it was. Charlie quickly pieced it together and gave Alice a curt nod towards her before looking back at Bella.

"Thanks for saving Liam," he told Bella before he walked back towards Billy's house.

Charlie had to fight back the tears as he walked away from her. He focused on the people on the porch; Sue, as she watched him walk back towards them in concern, Billy, as he placed his hands on Liam's cheeks before hugging him once again and Rachel, as she wrapped a towel around Liam's shoulders to dry him off. He noticed Jacob as he conversed with the pair of wolves standing in front of the porch. This was his family, as strange and obscure as the circumstances were. He loved each of them and knew without a shadow of a doubt that they'd be there for him, as they always had been.

As he came up to the porch, Ryan had moved off to the woods to join Derek to phase back. Nate remained in wolf form, his ears back as he whimpered.

"I think he's sad," Liam commented softly to Billy, glancing meekly at the wolf sitting on the grass, while Sue rubbed another towel in his wet hair. The rain continued to pour and Charlie shook out the water from the umbrella before coming up to Sue's side.

From the woods, both Derek and Ryan came jogging towards them, coming up beside Jacob.

"The Cullen's took care of that bloo...the bad guy," Ryan said, altering his wording which was much appreciated by Rachel and Billy. The younger kids didn't need to know the horrors of the world they live in all at once. "He's gone now."

Derek picked up the satchel that Nate had dropped just prior to phasing before holding it out at arms length.

"I think this is what caused Nate to break the alpha order," he said. "It smells horrible, but it's what's inside that caused him to break it."

"What is it?" Billy asked, while Derek passed the bag to Jacob.

"It's Liz's hair," he replied softly. "The Volturi are trying to lure Nate away. They created a trail for him to follow."

Beside him, the wolf whimpered. Billy looked up at him, sympathetically.

Jacob turned to Derek and Ryan. "I'd like you two to get back to patrolling."

The pair nodded, glancing worriedly at Nate before waving to the people on the porch. They raced into the woods, no doubt phasing the first chance they got.

"There are more of them lurking around in the woods," Jacob told Billy. "I'm certain that this was just the beginning. Make sure everyone stays inside."

Billy nodded in understanding. Jacob turned to Nate.

"I'd appreciate it if you could continue guarding this section of the reservation."

The wolf huffed and got up off his haunches before leaping into the woods.

Sensing Jacob's desire to speak with Billy privately, Charlie took Liam by the hand while Sue promised him some more of the ice cream that he had for dessert. Before the door even closed, all at once, the kids began to ask questions to Sue, Rachel and Charlie. Billy couldn't help but sigh. They weren't wanting the younger children exposed to this world at such an age. They were going to have to tread carefully, ensuring that they were reminded to keep it a secret from the others who had yet(if at all) to discover the truth behind the legends.

When the door closed, it was Billy who spoke. He had already anticipated Jacob's thoughts as he stood on the grass in the pouring rain.

"He broke your command."

Jacob sighed and nodded. "I felt it. The whole pack felt it. Something is happening."

"Nate is an Alpha, just like you are," Billy reminded him. "He has learned a lot under your leadership."

"I know," Jacob confirmed, running his hands through his hair. "This is just not the opportune time for a shift to be occuring."

"Through our human eyes, it may not be. But you must trust the spirits in knowing what is best for the pack," Billy told him. "From your point of view, it may not be the best timing for this to be occuring, but it may be what the pack needs for such a time. There is a reason why it is happening now. You may never know why and it may not make sense, but there's no way it can go back to how it used to be."

Jacob sighed once again.

"I just don't know if he's ready for this; if he can handle it."

Billy smiled. "As a father, I understand completely."

"And then there's this," Jacob said, looking down at the satchel in his hands. "I know the strong pull an imprint can have on someone. When it comes down to it, my command wouldn't hold him here if he suddenly decided to go after Liz."

Billy sighed, rubbing his chin. "If this was 18 years ago, Jo hadn't phased and she was in Liz's position, what would you have done?"

A rumble of a growl rolled in his chest at the thought.

"I'd gone after her and nothing would have stopped me. I'd have my brothers right beside me," Jacob replied. "But we're on the verge of a war here. Nate knows that the protection of the reservation is paramount. And the imprints are right up there in that priority. As much as I want to, I can't send the pack out after Lizzie right now."

He paused and sighed, running his hands through his hair in frustration and closed his eyes.

"I hate to admit it, but if he can break my Alpha Commands, there's nothing I could do to stop him if he suddenly decided to go after Liz on his own."

"He knows their plan for him and that any trail leading to Liz is a trap," Billy said.

Jacob opened his eyes and looked at his father. Fear was in his eyes.

"If he's desperate enough, he'll go. I saw in his mind how tempting it was to follow the trail to Liz. The wolf was demanding that he go after her. It's a strong instinct that's pulling him," Jacob said. "He wasn't focused. It took Liam's cries to make him realize a threat to his brother was right in front of him."

"Trust him, Jacob," Billy stated. "If he does make the decision to go after Liz, you know that he'll spend his life trying to return with her. You said it yourself, you would go after Jo. You can't assume Nate wouldn't make the same choice."

"I wont lose my son to the Volturi," Jacob declared, just as a howl echoed through the woods.

Jacob turned his head to the treeline, his fists clenching.

"What is it?" Billy asked, concerned.

"It's begun."

* * *

Hours earlier...

Liz felt nauseated. It wasn't just the fact that her body was reacting strongly to being away from Nate for so long, but it was the knowledge that the Volturi were planning on attacking her tribe within hours. Although she now knew that the pack had been alerted thanks to Nate somehow being able to contact her, simply knowing that her loved ones could be seriously hurt left a huge pit in her stomach.

She laid on her side, resting her cheek against the cold, metal floor. It seemed to help a bit with the nausea. Although she still couldn't sleep, Liz closed her eyes, bringing to mind that dream that she had shared with Nate. For a moment, she was certain that she had been missing him so much that her mind had conjured up the whole conversation. But there was no way that she could deny that it wasn't Nate when she sensed his familiar presence in her mind.

Behind her, the metal door opened once again and Liz peeked her eyes open just enough to see a shadow against the bright light of the day reflect against the far wall of the container. Assuming it was the large vampire returning to drop off food that she'd eventually eat, only to bring up later on, Liz closed her eyes. It had only been a few days but she was growing tired of this.

To her surprise, the footsteps seemed lighter that what she was used to hearing. She even heard a sigh, undoubtedly belonging to a woman.

"I know that you're awake," the woman declared irritably. "Vampires have great hearing. You can't fool us when we can clearly hear your heart rate pick up and your breathing quicken."

Liz didn't recognize the voice but still didn't bother to acknowledge the presence. She knew well enough that the Volturi weren't planning on killing her and they could torture her all they wanted, they'd never get what they wanted.

"Get up."

Liz again didn't respond, nor did she move. The woman sighed aloud.

"I know that you can hear me."

Liz snorted, just as she felt a cold hand touch her own. Quickly, she opened her eyes as she sucked in a sharp breath and pulled her hand back. Liz turned, pulling herself tightly against the wall of the metal container, as far away from the vampire as she could.

The vampire held up her hands in a way to show she meant Liz no harm. Liz looked at her, seeing the blood red iris and the beautiful blond hair framing her face in long locks.

"Hey, hey! Relax," the blond woman told her, before a small smirk appeared on her red lips. "I'm not here to hurt you."

Liz eyed her suspiciously. "Stay away from me."

The woman sighed unnecessarily and winced. "I wish I could, seriously, I do. Unfortunately, I volunteered to do a job that no one wanted to do and that is to cut your hair off. The Volturi are wanting to send your people a message and also hope to lure your boyfriend here before they attack your tribe. Frankly, the entire Volturi guard can't handle the stench that you've been giving off and I have to agree with them. But," she paused, reaching into her bra and pulling out a piece of paper, "volunteering to do such a vile job also has its perks."

She held out the piece of paper towards Liz who cautiously took it from the blond haired vampire who gave her a warning.

"Remember what I said about our hearing."

While Liz slowly unfolded the piece of paper, the vampire pulled out a pair of scissors from her bag over her shoulder. Liz began to read, not believing the words she was seeing woven out of the elegant handwriting.

' _My name is Rosalie Cullen. While your people are not those who I would associate myself with, I find myself feeling compelled to help you. Long ago, Dr. Carlisle Cullen made a deal with Jacob Black - he would protect the pack from the interests of Aro, whom had also been causing my family grief for decades. My family agreed, and although I wasn't pleased with it, I too had agreed. Over the years, I became disgruntled and resentful of that agreement. I was with my family up until nearly a year ago when the Romanians approached myself and my husband, Emmett to join them. I made an excuse and he and I disappeared in the night to evade the Volturi, and we haven't seen our family since. In our desire to vanquish the Volturi for good, Emmett and I are currently working as spies for the Romanians. The Volturi are wanting my family to join them and assume having myself and my husband as part of their guard, it would gain them favour.'_

 _'Since your capture, word has travelled swiftly throughout the vampire world of what Aro is planning on doing with you and the son of Jacob Black. Even though I do not care for your people, I do not agree with Aro's plan. Aro isn't fit to raise anyone's child, much less a shape shifters. While our positions as Romanian spies takes precedence, Emmett and I will do everything we can to help you in order to return you_ _safely to y_ _our people. We aren't alone in this endeavour - there are at least twelve of us within the Volturi's guard. I cannot disclose who for their safety. But you can rest assured that we will help you.'_

Liz had to reread the words on the paper more than once. While she had read, Rosalie instructed Liz to turn around before she gathered her pin-straight hair at Liz's neck. With a slight wince, Liz heard her hair being cut in a few snips of Rosalie's scissors. She felt the coolness of the blades touch the back of her neck and knew it would be short; shorter than she had ever had it cut. Although she knew she should be mourning the loss of her hair, something that she had taken years to grow, knowing that she had found allies within a dark place made her feel a bit better.

When Rosalie softly told her that she was done, Liz passed the folded paper back to Rosalie who tucked it back inside of her bra. Liz reached behind her head to find that her hair had been cut to her chin. It felt odd to suddenly be able to touch the back of her neck and find the curtain of hair no longer there.

"Don't make such a big deal out of it. It'll grow back," Rosalie reminded her as she put the long strands of dark hair into a bag.

"How can I trust your word?"

Rosalie looked at Liz, knowing she wasn't meaning about her hair but implying about the letter. Her mouth pulled up, impressed at Liz's ability to converse cryptically.

"You're going to have to," she told her. "What other choice do you have? In the meantime, I suggest that you rest. It's going to be a long day."

Liz didn't see Rosalie again that day. As daylight began to descend beneath the clouds of an impending storm, Liz felt that pit in her stomach grow. Thunder echoed in the distance while Liz sat against the metal wall, her eyes closed as she focused as much as she could, straining to somehow reconnect with Nate's mind. She rubbed her arms and her legs, feeling the cold as the temperatures began to drop. Suddenly, the metal door opened and within a blink of an eye, two vampires held onto her arms and pulled on each one, dragging her into the pouring rain. Aro stood, his head protected by the elements by an umbrella being held by another vampire just behind him.

"Move her further into the mountains," he told the two vampires. "Our gift has been delivered and the battle has begun. I'm anticipating the Alpha's son to be coming after her shortly."

Aro smiled sardonically at Liz, moving in closer to gently touch her chin.

"Be sure to scream loudly for him, my dear. I'll be there shortly to witness your reunion with him."

"You can just go to hell, you son of a bitch!" Liz shouted back at him.

Aro simply chuckled before gesturing to the two vampires holding onto her. Within the blink of an eye, the two vampires and Liz disappeared from his presense. Aro rubbed his hands together, anticipating the coming together of his plan.

* * *

 ** _'A/N - Thank you so much for the reviews!_ _'_**


	36. Chapter 36

_We're going to kill those sons of bitches_ ,' Talon growled through the pack mind.

With the impending attack, Jacob had called Sam, Talon, Paul and Jared back from searching for Liz. Sam and Talon were ticked off and their anger and frustration could be felt throughout the pack. Nate agreed with the pair and raced angrily in the woods outside of Billy's house. He didn't like the fact that no one was out searching for Liz and was going to go himself, except he felt responsible for the protection of those inside his grandfather's house and in his section of La Push.

 _'We will get her back, but right now we have vampires coming in from the east,'_ Jacob told them all.

A sharp howl from that direction emphasized his words, declaring that the Volturi were indeed coming.

' _Seth, let the Cullen's know to alert the Romanians.'_

' _Already did,_ ' was his fast reply. _'Dr. Cullen is informing them right now. Sounds like they're eager to make their appearance.'_

 _'Let us know cause we're ready anytime!'_ Jo called out impatiently from where she was in the forest with Paul. She tossed a vampire in her mouth towards her brother-in-law. He quickly took it by the arm and swung it until the limb broke right off.

' _We wont be able to hold them back much longer,'_ Paul added.

Through his mind, the pack could see himself and Jo as they fought through vampires, one after another. It seemed that they were incredibly outnumbered by the number of Volturi coming at them.

' _Fall back!'_ Jacob cried out in his mind. ' _You_ _can bring_ _the fight to the Cullen's and the Romanian's.'_

Jo looked over at Paul before the pair began racing through the woods, luring the Volturi who chased after them through the mountains and towards the Romanians. They darted around trees, flashes of colour following swiftly behind and around them.

' _Dammit_ ,' Paul cursed. ' _They're trying to box us in.'_

' _We're almost there,'_ Jo reminded them just as they burst through the forest and into the clearing, the Volturi right behind them.

From every side, the wolves raced forward with the Cullen's and Romanians right behind them. Jo passed by Jacob and the pack before quickly turning with Paul to join the offensive.

To the Volturi's surprise, a sudden wave of vampires came seemingly out of nowhere and attacked them alongside the Cullen's and the large wolf pack. The Romanian's were ruthless, giving no pause to attacking their own kind. True to their word, the pack avoided the scent that was given off by the Romanian's and the Cullen's and focused their attention on the Volturi. One by one, the Volturi army was slowly being destroyed, but the one whom they all sought was no where in sight.

"Aro isn't here," Edward suddenly said, his eyes glancing around before ripping another vampire's head off with Carlisle's assistance.

Seth and Sam raced past, jumping and then pinning down a pair of vampires that were about to attack at the two Cullen's. Carlisle nodded his thanks, while Edward quickly heard Seth's thoughts.

"The pack hasn't seen him either. And I haven't seen any of the Volturi's inner guard as well."

To their left, Vladimir suddenly appeared, a smile on his face.

"Just like Aro to make his army do his dirty work," he articulated in his thick Eastern European accent. "That bastard will not get away with the things he has done to us. We have spies working for us within his guard. Once they get word that we have defeated his army, they will make their move."

"Wait," Edward said, his eyes wide upon hearing the loud shouting from the pack through Seth's mind. "You have spies within the Volturi? When were you going to tell us?"

Vladimir shrugged non-chalantly. "Eventually. We didn't know if we could trust you, considering Carlisle's past association with them. We spent years getting our intelligence within their coven. We weren't about to throw that away. It took a while but it will be well worth it when we see that scum fall."

"Aro most likely stayed behind with Elizabeth Uley," Carlisle stated, looking to Edward before he darted at a vampire coming right at him. Vladimir came to his side and with a smirk pulled the head off of the Volturan.

"What is an, Elizabeth Uley?" Vladimir asked him.

Carlisle glanced over at a black wolf that darted past them and gestured to the creature.

"His daughter."

Vladimir's eyes widened. "Aro has that beast's child?"

Carlisle nodded as Sam growled. Vladimir snorted, impressed.

"In that case, it would have been wise for Aro to just come out to the battlefield to get destroyed rather than wait for his demise like the coward that he is."

Vladimir looked over at Sam. "We will all get our revenge today."

* * *

' _The Romanian's have spies within the Volturi?'_

The words that were spoken passed through the entire pack and the possibility of what it could mean - they'd have allies when it came to going after Liz. While for some within the pack it had been a fleeting thought, for Nate, he outlined an entire plan in his mind on how to go about rescuing Liz.

Nate continued to run the perimeter of La Push nearest to Billy's house, all the while he formulated how he'd find her. The entire time, his thoughts repeated over and over ' _I need to find Liz'_ before it became his ongoing mantra. It became so loud in the pack's mind that Jacob could sense the wolves starting to become unfocused.

' _Nate, you need to stay where you are! We need to protect the reservation. That is our priority.'_

Jacob's reminder echoed loudly in his mind. The rest of the pack naturally concurred with their Alpha and refocused themselves. Not surprising to Jacob, Nate pushed back.

' _What if we could to both? You heard those bloodsuckers - they have spies with Aro. We can get to Liz and destroy the Volturi!'_

It didn't help that Nate's wolf was instinctly drawn to Liz's scent that the vampire had left behind. He'd slow down whenever he approached the area. It was still quite strong despite the pouring rain.

As it seemed like he was about to turn to race into the woods after that scent, Jacob's strong alpha timbre reverberated throughout the pack.

' _ **Nathaneal! STOP!** '_

But Nate didn't heed the order.

 _'We have a large army of vampires on our side,_ ' Nate reminded him while he still seemed to be oblivious to the strong demand made by his father. ' _We will succeed_.'

 _'That may be true, but the last time you faced a vampire on your own, you nearly died. I don't want you going alone.'_

 _'Dad, I can't sit still and wait any longer. And I've learned from my mistake.'_

 _'Nate, please,'_ Jo pleaded. ' _You know that it's a trap. You know what their plans are for you and Liz.'_

 _'I know, Mom. And I wont let that happen. I'll bring someone with me.'_

 _'Nate...'_ Jacob began before he felt, rather than heard Nate give out an order that was apart from himself. At the same time, while he could still hear Nate, Jacob could also feel the pulling away of the minds of four wolves.

Nate's thoughts instantly called out for Derek, Jonah, Talon and Ryan, who were patrolling the perimeter of La Push while the rest of the pack were with the Cullen's and Romanians fighting the Volturi. He ordered Ryan to cover his portion of La Push nearest to Billy's house before he called Derek, Talon and Jonah to come with him. None of them questioned him. But the older pack members recognized the obvious shifting that was occurring. The thoughts and voices of their son's had suddenly disappeared from their minds and they were confused.

 _'_ _What the hell is going on?_ ' Jared asked in the pack mind, feeling the distinct separation being felt throughout the pack. It was certainly not the optimal time for a power shift but it was evidently occurring.

' _I can't hear Ryan anymor_ e,' Paul exclaimed, beginning to get concerned that he was suddenly unable to hear his son's voice in his mind.

" _Derek's gone too_ ," Embry agreed.

Leah suddenly raced forward as it was obvious the group of wolves were suddenly disoriented with the turn of events. She jumped on a vampire that was about to plow into Embry's side. With a sudden shake of his head, Embry turned and assisted her, thanking her for watching his ass.

 _'The kids are all fine,'_ Jacob assured them. _'They're under Nate's command. I can't call them back.'_

Nate had suddenly become Alpha of his own pack right before their eyes.

' _Jake! You have to do something!'_ Jared exclaimed. ' _Nate's not ready to lead!'_

 _'We've all seen his mind,_ ' Paul added. " _His focus is on Liz. He'll lead them into a trap.'_

 _'I trust the kid,'_ Sam suddenly told them. _'If anyone can find her and get her home safely, it would be Nate. Her safety would be his priority.'_

 _'But at what cost!? Our son's will follow him blindly and any of them could die for going on their own,'_ Paul thought.

 _'They're all doing what they were born to do - protect the tribe,'_ Jacob finally added with a growl as he, himself relented and accepted the fact that he couldn't control Nate, nor the four other young wolves. Nate was now their Alpha and Jacob's wolf couldn't help but recognize it.

 _'We trained them well,'_ he added before sending a mental thought to Nate to be careful. It wasn't a command but merely a request from a concerned father. Nate understood the difference and agreed.

The sentiment was shared by the entire pack, while an inherent air of pride circulated throughout the pack; the Spirit Warriors within were content with the natural course of events, despite what their human father's were feeling. The three boys were on their own and the pack could only hope they were prepared.

* * *

"I hate you."

Although Liz could barely utter the words any louder than the rain pouring around them, her defiant eyes glared at Kyle and invoked the emotion that was coursing through her. Her short hair was matted to her face and neck while Kyle silently shackled her ankles together and entwined the heavy chain between them before locking it around the tree behind her. He didn't look at her and based on the chuckles from Alec and Demetri standing to the side, they found her muted outbursts to be amusing.

Kyle paused and finally glanced up at her, his red iris' softening upon meeting her piercing dark brown. With an unnecessary sigh, he reached up and gently brushed her wet hair away from her eyes. Quickly, Liz turned her head, shaking him away, not wanting his fingers to be touching her skin. Dejected, Kyle slowly pulled his hand back.

"I wouldn't waste your time with that human," Demetri stated, with a chuckle.

"I'm not," Kyle admitted to him harshly before he swiftly stood up and walked back to where the pair stood.

"She does have a pretty face," Alec said. "I can see why you had a relationship with her as a human."

Alec smirked and tipped his head to the side, watching Liz. She had lowered her head, and pulled her knees to her chest in an effort to warm up in the cold rain. The clothing stuck to her like another layer of skin and provided no warmth whatsoever. While the vampires around her wore thick, hooded robes to protect them from the elements, Liz was barefoot, wearing only her pajamas and her hooded sweater, both of which were soaked right through. She shivered uncontrollably, her teeth chattering as the water poured harder and the thunder cracked while the wind began to pick up.

"Did you and her ever have an intimate relationship?"

Kyle shook his head.

"She had an ideal that she wanted to be married before she had sex for the first time."

"How old fashioned," Alec said with a smile. "So much for that. I doubt she ever dreamed that her first time would be surrounded by vampires."

Kyle paused. "What are you talking about?"

Demetri snorted. "Aro will require us to be present during the copulation between her and the dog until conception can be verified. If you are uncomfortable watching your ex-girlfriend have sex with someone else, you could always bring that concern to Aro, but I wouldn't recommend it. Aro doesn't like it when someone counters his request."

As he finished speaking, the rain began to pour down harder.

"The Alpha's son better get here soon," Alec said, looking up at the dark sky, as he huffed and pulled the hood further over his face. "I don't want to be standing out in the rain and mud for much longer."

"I'm sure we'll all be headed back to Voltura soon enough," another vampire added as he approached.

Alec smiled.

"Emmett, you spent many years of your existence in this area of the world," he stated to the large vampire. "I don't know how you could stand it always being wet."

Emmett smirked. "You get used to it. But I much prefer the luxuries of what Voltura has to offer."

Demetri nodded in agreement just as Jane suddenly appeared, her face an expression of anger. Alec seemed to notice something was off with his sister the moment she arrived. She stalked her way towards Liz.

"You!"

In a flash, she had Liz off the ground, holding her by her neck with her back pushed against the tree. Liz gasped, attempting to pull Jane's hand from her already bruised neck.

"You told them our plan! I know it!"

While Demetri, Alec and Kyle looked on, Emmett was the one to respond, grabbing Jane's arm.

"What's going on?!"

"They knew! Those dogs were prepared and they have an army consisting of both the Romanians and the Cullen's!" she shouted, the news quickly spreading to the vampires who stood around. She paused and took a long side glance towards Emmett.

"Or perhaps your allegiances towards your former coven still runs deep."

Emmett snorted and rolled his eyes. "Jane, let her go. You know that she hasn't told anyone. She's been here the whole time. And as for my connection to the Cullen's, you know that my connection with them ended a long time ago."

"Perhaps," she said thoughtfully. "Or maybe it was your wife."

"Rosie? Please," he said with an eye roll. "You wont find someone in the world who holds more resentment towards the Cullen's than her."

"Well, someone alerted them to our plan and only a certain few were privy to the details of when and where. I want to know who!"

"Sister, it doesn't matter anymore," Alec said softly, coming to her side. "With the Alpha's son coming here, we will prevail."

"Our army is being slaughtered!"

"Jane, dear," Aro's melodic voice chimed in the air as he approached with Caius and Marcus at his side. Everyone seemed to pause and turned towards Aro as he came closer. "Release the girl before you kill her."

Jane quickly turned back to Liz, whose lips were turning a light tinge of blue. With a glare, she let go of Liz's neck, dropping her to the ground. While Liz coughed and sputtered to get oxygen in her lungs, Jane turned to Aro.

"She must have somehow told the dogs of our plan," Jane stated, angrily.

"As your brother has said, it doesn't matter," he said, moving towards where Liz was coughing on her hands and knees. "The package has been delivered. But with the recent turn of events, we are running out of time. We need the Alpha's son to arrive sooner and I believe she can assist us in that."

Aro crouched down beside Liz before she quickly turned and moved away from him, towards the tree behind her. Liz put her hand to her sore throat while Aro smiled at her

"I need you to scream for us," he told her sweetly.

"No," she rasped, softly.

Kyle stepped forward.

"Aro, she can barely speak. How is she to scream?"

Aro turned his head towards where Kyle had boldly spoke to him without asking for permission. It seemed everyone around him knew the consequence when it came to dishonouring their leader in such a way - everyone, except for Kyle. With a quick nod from Aro, Alec and Demetri flashed forward and grabbed ahold of either of Kyle's arms.

"What the hell?!" He exclaimed, pulling at his limbs from the two vampires whom he had been having a civil conversation with earlier. "Let me go!"

"No one dares to dishonour Aro," Caius told him.

Before any sentencing could be done, Jane moved protectively in front of Kyle.

"Aro, he is ignorant of our protocol," she pleaded to him. "He has been with us for such a short time."

While Aro sighed he nodded. "Then I trust you to inform him of our laws." He paused for a moment and shared a glance with Caius and Marcus before looking to Jane once again.

"Since you gave him immortality, we know that you think of him to be as close to you as your own brother. Just know that we will not be so understanding the next time should he step out of line."

"It wont let it happen again, Aro," Jane assured him while Demetri and Alec released Kyle's arms.

Aro smiled. "I know that, dear Jane. In the meantime, I'd like you to help us with our current situation here."

Aro glanced back at Liz and smirked before a sneer grew on Jane's face.

"It would be my pleasure."

As though it came out of thin air, Liz instantly held her head between her hands and screamed as she felt the pain of a thousand nails drilling inside of her skull. She couldn't help but curl up on her side in agony while her screams echoed within the forest around them.

* * *

A scream pierced the darkness and found its way right to Nate. The wolf growled and caused Nate to push his legs harder and run faster. Somehow he knew that it was Liz.

' _Nate, we need to have sort of plan,'_ Talon suggested, hearing his sister's painful screams that pierced at his heart.

 _'Yeah, we can't just go running in there without thinking,'_ Jonah added.

In fact, Nate wasn't thinking. He was being driven by instinct, the wolf having taken over his intuition and desires and at the moment, it wanted nothing more than to protect its imprint.

 _'Hey! Did you hear us?!'_

Talon nudged Nate in the side, causing the wolf to come to a sudden halt, turn and snarl at them. All three wolves instinctively lowered themselves to the ground, recongizing Nate as their leader and the desire to appease him.

' _Whoa! It's just us!'_ Derek exclaimed loudly through the small pack.

Shocked at his reaction, Nate shook his head and whimpered.

' _Damn_ ,' he thought softly. ' _Sorry guys, I didn't mean to do that.'_

 _'Of course. And I get it - you're heavily invested in finding Liz. We're right there with you. But we need to have some sort of plan,'_ Talon told him.

Nate looked up the wooded mountain that they were climbing. The scent of vampires was thick in the area but they had yet to cross paths with any of them. They were close; very close.

 _'I'm gonna keep going,_ ' he thought. ' _I need you three to hang back. They don't need to know that I didn't come alone. At least not yet. We'll stay in communication. I'll let you know when I need the backup. Our goal is to get Liz safely away from the Volturi.'_

While it wasn't what Derek, Talon or Jonah were wanting, they knew not to argue. While Nate continued on, the trio hung back for a bit before racing forward.

Nate put his nose to the ground before he suddenly heard a heartbeat. He recongized it as not belonging to a deer or any other animal in the forest.

' _I think I've got her,_ ' he said, moving slowly through the woods.

 _'Be careful!_ ' Jacob's voice suddenly shouted in his mind. ' _Aro's missing a few of his key Volturi guard down here - some of which Edward tells me are extremely dangerous. They may be with Liz. I can't spare anyone yet but Bella and Carlisle are coming up to help.'_

Just as Jacob's thoughts flittered through his mind, he saw her. In the rain, he barely recognized her form, but the scent he detected didn't cause him to doubt that it was Liz. She laid on her side at the base of a tree, the rain pouring down on her shivering body.

Nate glanced around, seeing that she was alone despite the area smelling strongly like vampires. He huffed, trying to focus on the sweet, intoxicating scent of his imprint shivering on the ground.

 _'I don't like this'_ , Jonah said. ' _We're coming to your flank.'_

' _No_! Not yet!' Nate ordered, his Alpha timbre dripping in his tone. ' _Stay hidden until I say. We wont risk her safety.'_

Liz opened her eyes upon hearing the huff in the darkness amidst the sounds of the rain falling on the leaves. Somehow she knew it was Nate. She lifted her head slightly as her weak eyes quickly searched left and right while her heart rate picked up.

"No, Nate," She rasped weakly, hoping that he'd hear her. Tears filled her eyes. "You need to go. Please."

From within the darkness, a shadow slowly appeared. A low, rumbling growl bubbled up from Nate's throat as he slowly made his way towards Liz. She was still fifty feet away and it felt as though each slow step barely got him any closer to Liz. His eyes locked onto hers for a brief moment as he focused on her. In that mere second, he could see her pain, and her fear. It raised an anger within him and Nate growled, raising his head to the sky before he howled, notifying the rest of the pack of his position.

As though it suddenly came from thin air, he felt his lungs tighten, much like he was having an asthmatic attack once again. Instead of just gasping for a breath, pain radiated from his lungs and slowly filled his stomach. The wolf whimpered loudly before dropping to the ground. As much as he tried to fight it, Nate couldn't help but phase back. As a human, he laid on the ground with his arms clutching his stomach, his face grimacing in pain.

He was so focused on the pain that he didn't even notice the vampires dropping from the trees above or even Liz shouting his name as loudly as she could.

"Stop hurtin him!" Liz cried.

Aro met Jane's eyes and he nodded to her. In that moment, Nate's pain broke and it left him panting, naked on the ground. With a sudden gesture from Aro, Demetri and Emmett picked up Nate by his arms and dragged him across the muddy ground towards Liz. They let go of his arms, dropping him to the ground with a thud. While Nate winced, he instinctively moved himself closer to Liz. He was desperate to just touch her. When he finally wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close, Nate gasped at the sudden cold temperature he felt radiating from her onto his skin. He could feel Liz's body trembling and through their contact, Nate sensed her pain and weakness along with a flood of images of what she had endured.

"I'm pleased that you can finally join us, Nate," Aro said, moving up from behind them, surrounded on either side by his fellow leaders and his guard. "You have certainly grown since the last time I've seen you."

Nate turned, purposely blocking Liz behind him from Aro.

"Let her go," Nate demanded. "You wanted me, you have me."

Aro smirked. "You two are a package deal. There are no negotiations when it comes to that."

"You kidnapped her, she has been assaulted and she's nearly hypothermic. I will kill you for what you've done to her!" Nate shouted, his body trembling as he pushed himself up to stand.

While the vampires backed up in concern, Aro stood his ground, a smile on his face.

"I suggest that you keep your temper under control if you want no further harm to come to come to your imprint."

Nate paused hearing Aro call Liz by her association to him. Aro smiled, seeing the confusion on Nate's face.

"I read her mind shortly after she arrived," Aro explained. "I knew that she'd be the perfect tool to bring you to us. You two have a unique bond - different than the rest of your kind. You can read each other's minds. I find that fascinating."

"I don't give a rats ass what you think is fascinating," Nate spat at him, snarling under his words. "Let her go!"

Aro raised a finger and shook his head.

"She is my assurance that you will do what I say. If you do not follow my orders, then she will suffer. And once she's carrying your child, I doubt you'll so much as growl without being told. And then your children will grow to serve the Volturi."

"And I will tell my children from the moment that they are born of what the Volturi has done to us," Liz rasped painfully, as she held onto her neck. "The pack would not stop searching for us and Nate and I will protect our children from being brainwashed by you!"

A sudden howl in the woods caused the vampires to glance around nervously. Nate smirked, recognizing it as Talon announcing a forward in battle. He was undoubtedly nearby and Nate quickly sprang forward, away from Liz before he instantly phased.

"Jane!" Aro called out, seeing Nate as he stood protectively in front of Liz with his teeth bared.

A few seconds passed before Aro looked over at Jane in confusion. The blond haired girl glanced nervously from Nate to Liz, finding that for some reason, her power was useless on them.

Nate stepped forward, prowling towards Aro before Alec suddenly ran forward in an attempt to jump onto Nate's back. At the last possible moment, Emmett grabbed ahold of his ankle and pulled Alec back, dropping him to the ground with a thud before stepping on his torso and pulling his head right off. Nate quickly turned and met Emmett's eyes.

"I've got your back!" He shouted, as he turned, determined to protect Liz behind him.

Aro watched the exchange in anger while Jane screamed at seeing her brother's destruction.

"Betrayal," Aro uttered before he gestured with his arms towards Nate and Emmett. All around him, the vampires who had been witness to Nate's capture rushed forward to attack both the wolf and Emmett.

At the same time, three more wolves rushed forward, grabbing vampires by their arms or snapping at their legs. Beside Emmett, Bella suddenly dropped down on a vampire, knocking it to the ground. He turned, and smiled, already having known that it was her who prevented Jane's power from being used against Nate and Liz. Bella stood beside Emmett, ready to help him.

Behind them, Carlisle dropped from the trees above and he immidiately went to Liz's side. He was concerned when she wasn't responding to his questions. While the bruising on her neck worried him, Liz was barely coherent and Carlisle wasn't liking her lack of response, the palour of her skin and her body temperature.

"I need to get her out of here!" He called out towards the wolves.

"Let me help," Kyle suddenly said, coming to his side.

As though a flash of light appeared out of nowhere, Rosalie suddenly had her arm wrapped around Kyle's head, prepared to rip it off. Kyle struggled within her grasp.

"We can't trust him!" She growled, looking at Carlisle. He still couldn't believe what his immortal eyes were seeing - Rosalie. "He's the one who lured the Uley girl away from her people."

Carlisle nodded, looking at Kyle. "I don't think it would be wise to have you near her, considering that fact. The wolves wouldn't appreciate it, but I'm certain that Emmett and Bella could use some assistance."

While Rosalie slowly let him go, Kyle glanced at Liz's listless form before nodding. While Kyle moved to help Emmett and Bella, Carlisle requested that Rosalie remain to offer them protection in getting Liz to safety.

"We need help here first!" Bella called out. "We're outnumbered!"

"Not anymore," Emmett shouted with a loud laugh as a pack of wolves suddenly emerged from the woods and proceeded to attack the group of vampires. Entwined within the pack were Cullen's and Romanian's alike.

Aro watched in horror as he slowly witnessed the destruction of the guard. Caius was gone, as was Marcus. Demetri was already lost and he witnessed Felix's demise as a pair of wolves descended upon him. Jane's ending was swift as her head was pulled from her body, in the same end as her brother.

Before long, he realized that he was standing amidst a land covered in vampiric body parts and he was the only one remaining. Aro looked up and saw the pack of wolves snarling at him, but glancing back and forth towards the large russet coloured wolf with the slightly smaller one at his side.

"I could have given your children a future of greatness!" He shouted. "The supernatural would fear them and the power they could possess! I could have offerred them an existence far better than what your small tribe could give them!"

Behind Jacob and Nate, Jasper moved forward with a lighter.

"You are weak and inferior! You always will be! The Volturi will always exist. You cannot..."

His sentence was cut short as Jacob pounced onto Aro's body, shovin him to the ground. While he ripped at his arm, causing the Volturi leader to cry out, it was Nate who delivered the final attack that pulled Aro's head from his body. Disgusted, he tossed it onto the ground while the Cullen's and Romanians picked up the pieces, setting them alight.

Nate's attention was suddenly diverted back to Liz. He could see Talon and Sam's wolves hovering above Carlisle, Esme and Edward as they knelt beside Liz.

' _Nate, Liz isn't doing well. The leech doctor is bringing Liz back home to our house and is going to take care of her there,_ ' Talon told him. ' _I can't hear Dad's thoughts but I'm guessing he's okay with it.'_

Jacob bumped Nate in the side and nodded.

' _Sam asked me for permission for the Cullen's to come onto our land,'_ Jacob told him.

 _'Thanks for the help_ ,' Nate thought. _'I know that I should have waited. I just couldn't anymore.'_

' _You did what any of us would have done if our imprint was in danger. We can't fault you for that. The important thing is that everything worked out.'_

' _How are things back at La Push?'_

Jacob's mind surveyed those of the pack tha the had left behind to finish cleaning up the destruction of the Volturi and to ensure the safety of the reservation.

' _It's fine. And Billy?'_

Nate could see into Ryan's mind, seeing his cousin watching their grandfather's home.

' _All clear,_ ' Nate relayed to his father.

They watched while Carlisle picked up Liz from the ground. Nate gave out an instinctive growl, seeing her in the arms of a vampire.

' _He'll protect her_ ,' Jacob assured him. _'He did it for you once._ '

Nate simply watched before they disappeared into the darkness.

' _Why don't you go along? I'm sure Liz will be asking for you. I can have my pack handle things here.'_

Nate looked over at Derek, Jonah and Talon as they watched him, waiting. Jacob saw them watching his son, much like his own pack seemed to regard him.

' _They are your pack. You are made to lead them.'_

 _'Thanks Dad,'_ Nate told him.

Nate moved over to the trio before all of them darted into the woods, heading straight for the Uley's home.

* * *

 ** _A/N - Happy 150th Birthday Canada! I had a crazy, busy long weekend but it was so worth it!_**


	37. Chapter 37

Liz had no idea who was carrying her, what was happening to her or where she was going. She was tired and she needed Nate - that's all she knew. She was cold; extremely cold and the hard body that was holding her was doing nothing to help that. Liz was certain that she was between asleep and awake for a short time because suddenly she felt a flood of warmth against her side and back of her neck.

"I've got you, Lizzie. Hold on," she heard her Dad's voice tell her gently before she heard him shouting.

"Emily! I need some warm towels and blankets."

"Sam, what...?" There was a pause and an audible gasp. "Oh my god! Liz?"

"Dad? Mom? What's going on?" Shawn suddenly asked coming into the room after hearing his Dad's voice.

"Shawn, help your Mother get some blankets and toss a few into the dryer to warm them up."

"What's wrong with Liz?"

"Just do it!" Sam shouted before Liz felt herself being moved again. She could hear her Dad's breathing as he rushed through the house and into her bedroom. "Em, we have to get her clothes off. Lizzie, can you hear us?"

"Sam, she needs a doctor," Emily quickly stated.

Liz opened her eyes slightly, seeing Emily looking at her.

"Dr. Cullen is on his way here," Sam told her. "He went to get any supplies he'd need."

"No, Sam," Emily stated quickly and softly. "She needs a human doctor. We need to get her to the hospital."

"And tell them what? That she was kidnapped, the bruises on her neck are from her vampires that assaulted her and that she was left, chained to a tree in the middle of a battle between vampires and werewolves?!"

"Nate.." Liz moaned between her chattering teeth. The sound brought her parents attention back to her.

"I'm sure he's on his way here, sweetheart," Emily said, brushing her hand across her forehead. "But we need to get you warmed up."

Emily looked up at Sam before they worked to pull off Liz's sweater. Keeping her bra and underwear on, they put her on her bed before pulling the blankets up to her neck. Her body shook while her teeth chattered.

"I've got the towels," Shawn said, coming to the door, his eyes on his sister laying in bed, barely awake. "Oh and there's this guy at the door. He said he's a doctor to Liz."

Sam moved out of the room, leaving Emily to dry Liz's short hair. After telling Shawn to give them some space, Sam returned a few seconds later with Carlisle, a bag in his hands.

He quickly set it down.

"Has she been conscious at all?"

Emily nodded. "Just for a moment. She was asking for Nate. But that's been it."

Carlisle leaned over and pulled up her eyelids, checked the bruises on her neck and hooked up an IV to her wrist. While her visible injuries seemed minor compared to the psychological affects her captivity would have had on her, his biggest concern was that despite the heavy blankets and warm towels, her body temperature wasn't rising and she was still unresponsive. For all he knew Liz could have internal bleeding or another issue that's causing her body to remain unconscious but there was no reason as to why she wouldn't be warming up.

Carlisle sighed.

"I'm optimistic about her dehydration now that she has the IV, but I'm concerned about her hypothermia and lack of response."

A sudden rush of footsteps on his porch and then coming into his house caused Sam to turn. Knowing exactly who had come to his house, he quickly and without a word left the room and nearly collided with Nate as he walked into the kitchen. Sam grabbed him by the upper arms.

"Where is she?" Nate asked, his eyes feral and concerned. "There's a leech here somewhere!"

Sam looked over Nate's shoulder, seeing not only his oldest son, but his youngest, watching their father confront Nate. While Talon understood what was going on, Shawn was watching in confusion.

"It's just Dr. Cullen and if you're wanting to see Liz, you're going to have to calm down," Sam told him sternly before looking over at Talon.

"Tal, can you help Shawn gather more blankets from around the house and put them in the dryer? Liz still needs to get warm."

Talon nodded and grabbed his younger brother by the shoulder. All the while, Nate breathed deeply, his eyes transfixed on the hallway behind Sam.

"Do you need to get some fresh air outside? I don't want you phasing in my kitchen."

Nate shook his head and took another deep breath. "No, I'm good. But I do need to see her. Let me go."

"Not until I know you're not going to go crazy the moment you walk in that room."

"I wont," he assured him earnestly.

Sam's eyes softened as he looked at the determination on his face.

"Nate, you need to know that she's not doing well. She's not warming up and she's still unconscious. Dr. Cullen doesn't know why she's not getting better."

"Maybe I can help," Nate said softly. "I can hear her thoughts."

Sam brightened at Nate's offer. He nodded and led him down the hallway.

Despite the strong vampire smell in her room, Liz's scent enveloped him as he walked through the door.

Sam watched as Nate's eyes locked on his daughter's unconscious face. Carlisle backed up as Nate walked around the bed and sat down on the side of the bed. The springs groaned and complained from the added weight. Nate took ahold of Liz's hand which Carlisle had attached an IV into her wrist and snaked his fingers between her motionless ones.

Nate waited for a moment, anticipating her voice, images or thoughts in his head. Except, he got nothing. With a sigh, he closed his eyes, hoping it was his concerns for Liz that were overpowering his thoughts and drowning her out. He growled and shook his head.

"It's not working. I don't know why... This should work. I should be hearing her, but I can't. There's...nothing."

Starting to panic, Nate reached over and touched her face with his other hand, feeling the cold against his warm skin. Slowly, he leaned in forward and brushed his cheek against her face.

"I wasn't aware that there were telepathic abilities outside of the pack," Carlisle said to Sam softly as he observed Nate.

"There isn't," Sam told him, squeezing Emily's hand tightly as he felt her concern for her daugther as they watched Nate's failed attempt to read Liz's mind. "It's limited to just between them."

Carlisle nodded and sighed.

"Despite what abilities she may have, Liz may be too weak to communicate in any form," Carlisle mused.

Nate tried to ignore the soft conversation going on behind him as he gently pressed his lips to Liz's cheek before he whispered in her ear.

"Come back to me."

"Hold on," Carlisle suddenly said, slowly coming closer. "You just spoke to her and her heart rate increased very slightly."

Nate looked up and turned to Carlisle.

"She heard me?"

"I don't want to presume anything yet, but it's possible that she's aware of your presence."

"The bond between a wolf and his imprint is supernatural," Sam said, walking up on the otherside of the bed. "We already know that we can feel pain when we are separated from each other. We're stronger together. It's a good assumption that proximity could give the other strength."

They were out of other options and Nate wasn't planning on leaving her side anytime soon. Still, Sam invited him to stay and as long as Liz needed.

While Sam and Emily led Dr. Cullen to the door, Nate watched Liz. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes as he inhaled her scent in the room. Opening his eyes, he looked down at Liz, reached out and gently ran his fingers down her cheek, feeling the strange coolness of her skin against his own. To his surprise, Liz turned her head towards his hand and she moaned weakly.

Nate's heart leaped.

"Liz?"

She was silent once again but her reaction to him filled him with hope.

For ten minutes, he brushed his fingers up and down her arm while he could hear the soft murmurs of Sam and Emily down the hall. They had left the door partially open, allowing light from the hallway to stream into the room. After a while, the lights turned down and he heard footsteps disappear into another room before silence flooded the house.

Nate closed his eyes for a moment and felt his head droop before he suddenly awoke. Shaking the sleep from his head, he looked over at Liz before deciding to lay down beside her.

Nate slowly laid down on his side and slid his arm beneath Liz's pillow. He sighed and closed his eyes for a few seconds before he felt movement beside him. Nate opened his eyes and saw Liz suddenly slide up beside him, tucking her arms in tightly against herself before turning into chest.

"Liz?" He asked again, softly.

He heard a murmur of his name being whispered from her lips before she sighed.

Nate wrapped his arm around her, pulling Liz and her bundle of blankets closer to him.

"I love you so much," he whispered before placing a kiss on the top of her head.

Once again, Nate closed his eyes, listening carefully to Liz's heartbeat slowly get stronger and felt her involuntary trembling come to an end. The initial decision to just close his eyes for a brief moment to relax for the first time in days caused him to fall asleep. The next thing he realized, light was coming in through Liz's bedroom window. He was still on his side, appearing not to have moved at all. Liz was still pressed tightly against his chest, except he suddenly realized that the bundle of blankets that he had gathered with her were gone and were now covering the pair of them.

As much as he enjoyed waking up with Liz in her bed, Nate had no recollection of climbing under Liz's blankets. He was certain that he hadn't woken up at all in the night.

His arm was still pinned beneath her pillow while he could distinctly feel a pair of smooth legs tangled between his own. His other arm was resting against a bare back, but just as he was starting to think that Liz was naked, he could feel a strap beneath his hand.

Despite that, he groaned.

"Your Dad is going to skin me alive if he finds us like this," Nate whispered, his voice thick with sleep, as he tucked Liz's head beneath his chin. He closed his eyes and sighed; both the wolf and the man content that his imprint was with him.

When he suddenly felt Liz jerk in her sleep, he opened his eyes. He watched her, seeing her eyes lids flutter before they suddenly opened and she gasped, forcefully pushing him away.

Her voice was barely audible as she struggled to get out of his grasp.

"Liz, it's me," Nate spoke calmly, taking her by the arms. It took a few seconds before her mind suddenly made the connection. Tears suddenly came to her eyes as he quickly pulled her back to his chest.

"You're okay. It was just a dream," he reminded her, running his hand over her hair, having a good suspicion the nightmares she could be reliving over the next little while.

After a minute, Liz pulled back to look up at Nate's face. For the first time, Nate saw the white bra that she had on and noticed the small bite mark he had left on her shoulder, nearly healed. He watched as Liz gestured to her neck, the painful bruising having become more distinct as time went on.

"They hurt you," Nate stated, while Liz nodded. "I'm sorry."

She mouthed some words, only a few sounds being heard.

"It hurts to talk," he concluded, while Liz nodded once again. "Then don't. I'm just happy to look at your beautiful face."

Nate reached up and touched the fringe of her short hair, just below her ears. Liz grabbed his hand and pulled it down.

"What? I can't touch your hair?"

She turned her hand in his and entwined her fingers between his own. Nate's heart quickened, hoping that he could hear her as he longed so much for last night. When her mind suddenly opened to his own, he sighed aloud. He concluded that Carlisle must hav been right when it came to her general weakness affecting her mind. It felt like home but he suddenly saw a darkness within her.

Her memories were filled with fear, cold and sadness. Nothing seemed bright as it usually was. He watched as Kyle strangled her; the threats that were made to turn her into a vampire. He saw as Rosalie cut her hair, tucking it into a bag. Nate showed her his reaction to seeing it being brought to him.

' _They used it to lure you,_ ' Liz's mind reacted.

Nate reached up with his free hand and brushed his fingers through the remaining strands.

' _It's still beautiful and it will grow back.'_

Liz let go of his hand and sat up, pulling the blankets up with her. Nate looked at her back for a second before he sat up as well.

"What you went through, what you look like right now, it doesn't change how I feel about you," Nate whispered. "You know that, right?"

Liz said nothing, but looked straight ahead.

"I almost lost you last night," he told her. "I think it was our imprint that gave you strength."

Liz nodded and took his hand once again.

' _It felt like an electric current. I couldn't help but get closer to you. Having those blankets between us didn't help.'_

Nate chuckled. ' _So, you were the one who got us into that compromising position.'_

Liz smiled for the first time since he had seen her. 'You didn't seem to be complaining.'

He boldly showed her the images of himself checking her out.

' _I told you that I still feel the same way for you,_ ' Nate thought. ' _I love you._ '

He leaned over and kissed her bare shoulder. With a side glance at the partially opened bedroom door, he kissed her shoulder again, this time closer to her neck. Sensing no one who would be coming down the hallway, he moved closer to her neck, pressing his lips against the bite mark. Liz gasped and tipped her head to the side. Nate paused and looked up at her before looking towards the door once again, concerned someone with exceptional hearing may have heard.

Impatiently, Liz quickly grabbed his hand.

' _Don't stop.'_

Nate smiled, satisfied that she was enjoying herself. He glanced at the partially open doorway.

' _Maybe we should.'_

' _Not right now. You have good hearing,_ ' she reminded him. ' _Can you hear anyone coming?'_

While Nate tried to focus on his senses, Liz leaned in and kissed his neck and up to his ear. Nate slowly closed his eyes, hearing her rough chuckle, knowing she was causing him to become distracted. With a growl, Nate turned and grabbed her by the shoulders, slowly bringing her down onto the bed behind her before he straddled her body, keeping his weight off of her with his hands and knees.

His mouth was instantly on hers, Nate's lips sucking on her own. Liz moaned, biting at Nate's bottom lip before bringing out her tongue to taste him. Her fingers were pressing hard against his back. A deep, rumbling snarl bubbled up from Nate's chest when he felt Liz's legs wrap around his knees, instinctively pulling him onto her. The wolf was enjoying this far too much for what he knew Liz was ready for. Reluctantly, Nate broke the kiss and turned his head, demanding that inner wolf to calm down. At the same time, Liz kissed down Nate's face to his neck.

Nate's eyes rolled back from the sensation as a snarl fought to come to the surface.

"Liz," he growled softly, turning back to look at her. Her eyes widened, obviously seeing the yellow ring in his cornea as the wolf within desired to come out. "We need to stop...if we don't, I wont be able to."

She nodded, taking his head between her hands, allowing Nate to close his eyes and breathe deeply. Liz watched his face, watching as he slowly calmed down while he remained hovering over her. She had no idea that the combination of them being nearly naked in her bed and Liz's ministrations on his body were having a physical affect on him.

Finally, Nate pushed up off of her and sat down on the edge of the bed. He continued to take deep breaths and closed his eyes. Having Liz so close to him wasn't helping but he wasn't about to leave her like this.

After a few minutes, he felt Liz's hand touch his shoulder followed by waves of apologies and embarassment. Quickly he turned and took her hand.

' _Don't be embarassed_ ,' he thought. _'I enjoyed it. Someday we wont have to stop. Hopefully, when that day does come, I pray that your parents aren't down the hall.'_

Liz smirked but it disappeared as the sound of heavy footsteps came down the hallway. It stopped just outside the partially opened door.

"Nate, if you're hungry, Emily has some breakfast prepared," Sam said with obvious restraint.

Nate shared a look with Liz, both uncertain about how much that Sam knew had just gone on inside the bedroom. Unknown to them, Sam's concerns had begun long before they had woken up.

A half hour after they had let Nate be with his daughter, Sam and Emily had returned to find that Nate had fallen asleep. The protective wolf within Sam rose up but it was Emily that assured him that Nate's intentions were honourable. They only had to see Liz's skin tone and hearing her heart rate improve to assure Sam that Nate's presence beside Liz was undoubtedly causing her to get better. When Sam had heard a soft, pleasurable growl come from Liz's room, it took Emily's gentle reminding that they're nearly adults and that she trusted them both to keep him from storming down the hall.

"They have gone through a lot over the past few days," Emily had told him softly. "Give them this moment."

Sam paced the living room, hearing the increased heart rates while Emily glanced at him every so often while she made breakfast. While Sam usually stood over her shoulder, tasting everything she made, right now his eyes were on that partially closed door at the end of the hallway. He mumbled to himself, undoubtedly counting to keep himself calm. Even when Talon had come out of his room, he winced and grumbled about hoping that Nate sleeping over will not become a regular occurrence.

When Emily finally told Sam to let Nate know that she has breakfast ready if he's hungry, Sam moved quickly down the hallway, holding with restraint from keeping from pushing the door open into Liz's bedroom.

"Yeah, thanks. I'll be right there," he replied before looking at Liz over his shoulder. She smiled at him and leaned in to kiss his cheek. Liz took his hand once again to let him know that she'll meet him in the kitchen in a few minutes.

When Nate walked into the kitchen, he saw Talon sitting at the table, a smirk on his face as he chewed. Talon was eager to watch the interesting exchange between his father and his sister's boyfriend. Talon couldn't be certain but he assumed that Kyle had never slept over, let alone in the same bed as Liz. If he had, chances are good that Kyle wouldn't have survived. Looking at Sam, Talon was wondering what Nate's chances of survival were.

Sam stood with his arms crossed as Emily fried the bacon.

"You're looking better than you did last night," she said with a smile.

Nate stretched and nodded. "I am feeling better."

"You must be hungry," Emily added, filling a plate of food for him. "I've heard that you haven't eaten much lately."

Both Jacob and Billy had called to check on Nate and had expressed concern about his health. Emily had assured them that she'd feed him as soon as he woke up.

"I had a lot on my mind," Nate admitted, to which Emily nodded in understanding. She held out the plate towards him just as Sam stepped forward and took it from his wife's hand.

"Sam," Emily chastised, seeing the seriousness on her husband's face. He knew as much as she did how hungry Nate should be and to also not get between a wolf and his meal.

Nate held in an instinctive growl and clenched his jaw.

"I'd like to have a word with Nate first," he told Emily, passing her back the plate. "We'll only be a few minutes."

Talon watched the exchange in amusement as Emily assured Nate that she'd keep the plate warm for him. Talon scooped a large portion of eggs into his mouth as he watched his Dad and Nate walk out the front door. As soon as the door closed behind them, Talon stood up with his plate with the intention of sitting closer to the door to eavesdrop.

"Don't you dare!" Emily said, calling her son out. Talon saw the look on his Mom's face and sat down with a pout with his plate once again.

"I just wanted to see if Dad was going to kill him."

Emily rolled her eyes and turned back to the stove. "Your Dad isn't going to kill him."

Liz suddenly came into the room, her eyes full of confusion as she held onto her neck before trying to speak.

"Who...Da... ...ing to ...ill?" Liz rasped roughly, wincing slightly in pain.

Emily turned to her, pleased to see that the colour on her daughter's face had returned but winced hearing her daughter speak. Her eyes were still lacking their usual brightness, but Emily was certain that her ordeal with the Volturi most likely caused it. She hoped that Nate would be able to bring them back.

"Nate," Talon answered his sister, his mouth full. "They're outside right now."

Liz huffed and made her way to the front door.

"Liz, leave them be," Emily told her.

Liz looked out the front window, seeing her Dad's mouth moving as he spoke and glanced back at the door, undoubtedly knowing that she was watching from inside.

"A...bout?"

"I don't know," Emily replied. "Your Dad wanted to talk to him about something. And Liz, try not to talk so your throat can heal."

Liz rolled her eyes, still watching while Talon chuckled.

"If this morning is any indication, my guess is that he's secretly planning on castrating him."

"Talon Levi Uley!" Emily chastised.

Talon simply shrugged and laughed.

But Liz turned to him, her mind already turning. She pointed at Talon and then to her ear, motioning that he could hear what was happening outside.

Talon winced, shovelling more food into his mouth. "Just because I can doesn't mean I want to. I'd rather not hear about anything that involves you, Nate and sex in the same sentence."

Liz ran her hand down her face in embarassment. Her hand was on the door knob and she was about to turn it when Emily quickly came to her side.

"Liz, let them talk," Emily suggested. "It isn't easy on your father to see how close you and Nate have suddenly become. He knows that Nate isn't going anywhere so it's important that he clears the air with him, as uncomfortable as it may be."

* * *

Sam looked over at the closed door and saw Liz and his wife behind it before he sighed.

"I know how she feels about you," he told Nate. "And I know how you feel about her. In fact, I saw it last night when I heard that you went on your own and offered yourself in her place to the Volturi. As a father, that is something that I wouldn't ever be able to repay you for."

"Sam..."

"I'm not done yet."

Sam looked at Nate, seriously.

"Nate, I know that your wolf has marked my daughter as your own. I was pissed when I ended up finding that out through your Uncle Paul."

"Sam, I'm sorry but it was some sort of instinctual thing," Nate told him. "And Liz was perfectly fine about it."

Sam nodded and sighed. "I know. And as hard as it is to say, I'm glad that you did it."

The look of confusion on Nate's face prompted Sam to continue.

"From what I heard last night from some of the Cullen's, somehow your mark altered the scent of Liz's blood to resemble that of a shape shifter. Because of it, she was protected to some degree from the vampires that held her hostage."

Nate shook his head, astonished over what Sam had told him. "I didn't know that it would work that way."

"Neither did any of us," Sam stated. "But don't mistake my gratitude for you marking my daughter as an open doorway to any other desires your wolf may have. I know that the wolf may cause you to feel a...an instinct to claim her physically but I ask that you refrain from indulging in that desire while you're under my roof. Do you understand me?"

Nate nodded, before he cleared his throat. "Uh, yeah...I mean, yes, sir."

"You're welcome to stay the night should your patrol routine allow you, but Liz's door is always to remain open. And if you don't have clothes strapped to your ankle, you're not to come over."

Again, Nate agreed.

Sam gave a curt nod. "Good."

He paused for a second and sighed.

"I'm guessing that one day you'll want to marry her?"

Nate's eyes widened as he became speechless.

Sam snorted at his lack of response.

"Come on kid, it's not like I'm naive to that reality. I imprinted once too, you know."

Nate cleared his throat once again. "I can't say that the thought of marrying Liz has never crossed my mind."

Sam smirked. "I thought as much. Just remember that you two are not even 18 years old yet, Liz wants to become a nurse and I don't want to become a grandfather anytime soon."

"Yes sir," Nate told him.

"Then we have an understanding?"

Nate nodded.

"Good," Sam stated with a slap to Nate's back. He smirked at the younger man when he heard his stomach growl. "You must be starving."

Nate smiled and nodded. "I haven't eaten in days."

While he and Sam walked back into the house, Sam chuckled.

"You're going to have to make it quick, young Alpha. Your Dad wanted me to send you home as soon as you woke up. He wanted to talk to you about something before the upcoming meeting with the Cullen's. Jacob is inviting them to come onto the reservation since Billy wanted to personally thank them for thier assistance."

"Did he said when the Cullen's would be coming?"

"Tonight at dusk at the woodpile behind Billy's place."

Nate smiled at Liz before taking the plate of food back from Emily. As suggested, he ate fast, his eyes never leaving Liz.

"I want to come with you when you meet with the Cullen's," she suddenly declared at the table.

Sam, Talon and Nate all paused their chewing and slowly swallowed while she continued.

"There was a vampire who came to me while I was in that shipping container," Liz explained, twisting the ends of her fringe around her finger. "In fact, she was the one who cut my hair. She said that her name was Rosalie Cullen and was working as a spy for the Romanians. If you're meeting with the Cullens, I want to be there to thank her for making me feel less alone."

Talon looked over at Nate and shrugged. While Nate glanced over at Sam, he was already watching Nate, anticipating what the young Alpha would decide.

"I don't know if it's a good idea," Nate said softly.

"And why not?"

Nate huffed. "Because, they requested the wolf pack's."

"Am I not part of the pack?"

Talon smiled. "She's got a point there, Nate."

Nate glared back at Talon.

"And Billy will be going, so I don't see how it's not a good idea if I go."

"Liz, honey, I think Nate is just concerned," Sam interjected. "You could have died last night."

"I feel fine," she implored to both her father and to Nate before she chuckled. "And if you're concerned about the Cullen's, I'll be surrounded by wolves. Besides, you know that they don't mean us any harm."

Nate sighed and looked down at the plate in front of him.

"I know that," he said softly before reaching beside him to take her hand within his own, showing her the fears that he has for her safety despite knowing that she would be perfectly safe. Her abduction was still too fresh in his memory and the wolf was feeling quite possessive now that he had his imprint back.

"I just can't help but feel a little overprotective," he said softly. "And it's driving me a little crazy."

"I feel the same way right now," Sam added towards Liz.

Talon nodded as well. "Me too. You're an imprint of the pack and it's our nature to be a bit more guarded when it comes to you. I can only imagine how Nate's feeling being that you're his imprint and what you've been through."

Nate sighed and turned to Liz. "If you're coming, I want...". He paused for second and pinched his eyes shut. "- no, I need you by my side the whole time."

Liz smiled softly and nodded. "I wont let go of your hand."

* * *

As Nate walked up onto his porch, Liam suddenly ran out at him, a smile on his face.

"Nate! You gotta do it again!"

Nate couldn't help but smile at his brother's exhuberance. He was expecting him to be slightly traumatized and frightened of him from his experience the night before having seen his brother turn into a wolf and having his life threatened by a vampire. But Nate had wrong. Nate found out later that Billy had been telling his grandkids many stories regarding the wolf packs of the past, going back to their great-great grandfather Ephraim. The boys had been on the edge of their seats and something that seemed so scary hours before was suddenly the coolest thing they've ever heard.

"Do what, again?"

Liam rolled his eyes.

"Change into a wolf! Mom and Dad wont do it for me and Nick called to say that Ryan did it for him. He says that Ryan said that he's faster than you. I want to see you guys race cause I know that you gotta be faster since you're an Alpha like Dad."

Nate chuckled and rustled Liam's head before walking in the door. Sarah sat on the couch and glanced up at her brother before turning her attention back to the TV.

"Maybe another day. We wouldn't want to make Ryan feel bad."

Liam nodded, considering Nate's words.

Jacob saw Nate walk in and gestured to him to come back outside with him.

"Is Sarah all right with all of this?"

Jacob nodded. "She's taking it all in stride. Your Mom says that for her it's a lot to take in. I'm sure she'll be fine. Give her time. I heard that Liz is doing better."

Nate nodded. "She is."

"That's good. We'll have to be certain to thank Dr. Cullen again for his help."

"What do they want to meet with us about?"

"I'm not entirely certain," Jacob replied, putting his hands in his pockets, looking out into the trees. "I'm guessing it has something to do with the Romanians. I have my pack still running patrols around La Push and they have yet to see any of them. My guess is that they've already left. I hope you don't mind, but I had Jonah and Derek running perimeter on the north side of the reservation while you were with Liz. I know that they are part of your pack but some of the wolves were tired from the battle and I didn't want to risk any stray Volturi wandering onto our land."

Nate shook his head, but at the same time he felt an unease.

"That's fine. I don't mind," he lied.

Jacob looked at him, a smile coming to his lips. "You can say it."

"Say, what?"

"You aren't okay with me telling your pack what to do," Jacob said. "I totally get it and I promise you, Nate that it wont happen again. If it makes you feel better, they were really reluctant and I had to assure them that I'd let you know that it was me who ordered them."

"Dad, it's no big deal," Nate said with a smile. "You were right in telling them to run perimeter. We needed someone guarding that area."

Jacob shook his head. "It should've been you giving them the order. You are their Alpha after all."

Nate sighed. "I don't know if I even want the job."

"Oh, you're just overwhelmed, that's all," Jacob told him, slapping him on the back. "I've been Alpha for nearly 18 years and I'm sometimes still getting the hang of it. The hard part for you is over; the wolves respect you. They already recognize your birthright. You didn't have to fight for their allegiance. Just treat them like you'd want to be treated and work as a team and you'll be fine."

Nate snorted. "You make it sound so easy."

"It'll be like breathing. Make it be a part of you." He paused. "I never told you how proud I am for how you handled yourself yesterday. Your spirit warrior really came to the forefront."

"Thanks Dad," Nate said. "And I hope that you don't mind if I ever need to talk about Alpha things with you."

Jacob chuckled. "I'd be glad to. After all, I think once everything calms down, I'll be allowing the pack to go back into retirement. I'll let you guys take over watching the Rez, but I'd be willing to listen if you ever have concerns."

"I appreciate that."

* * *

Later that night, both packs stood around the wood pile, waiting. While some sat on old stumps, others stood with their arms crossed. Billy looked out into the forest, hearing the colourful leaves of fall blow in the cool breeze. Liz pulled her sweater higher around her neck. Nate looked over, feeling her sudden chill and smiled.

Just as the Cullen's had stated, they appeared as dusk fell. First, Carlisle and his wife, Esme appeared, followed swiftly by Edward, Bella, Jasper, Alice and then Emmett and Rosalie. When Liz saw Rosalie appear, the blond vampire glanced briefly in her direction, giving her a brief nod. When a final vampire suddenly appeared at Emmett's side, Liz felt Nate's hand grip hers tighter.

"What the hell is he doing here?" Nate growled, standing slightly in front of Liz. He wasn't the only one having the same reaction. Talon growled as well, Jared's hand instantly on his shoulder.

Kyle stood at ease beside Emmett, a smirk on his face as he scoffed.

"Easy," Jacob warned Nate, his own eyes keeping a watchful eye on Kyle who seemed to keep his eyes on Liz the entire time.

While Nate didn't move, his warning snarl from his throat continued and light trembling vibrated over his skin. He caught Billy's attention just as Carlisle approached the elder, turning to see what had Nate suddenly all riled up.

"I can assure you that our newest family member means none of you any harm," Carlisle stated, looking over at Nate. "Kyle is still working on the finer points of our lifestyle and as such is staying at a distance."

Ryan snorted from where he stood beside Talon and leaned towards him.

"And to keep him from being slaughtered where he stands," he mumbled. "I'm surprised the bastard has the balls to show his face."

Billy looked over at Nate in concern.

"I'm fine as long as he doesn't come any closer," Nate snarled, his eyes still glaring at Kyle in the distance. He could see the vampire nod at him and Nate couldn't help but move closer to Liz's side.

"You have my assurance that he wont," Carlisle said before looking to Billy.

"It's good to see you again, Billy."

Billy merely nodded.

"I want to express my gratitude on behalf of my people for the assistance you have given us," he told him. "Not only for working alongside us against the threat to our people but also giving medical help to us as well."

Carlisle smiled as he looked over at Liz, pleased to see that she was doing so much better than the last time he had seen her.

"It was my pleasure. I had assured Jacob years ago that we would ensure the future of the Quileute people would be safe and we intended to keep our word."

Billy nodded before Carlisle continued.

"But the reason I asked you to meet with us was because I wanted to inform you that the Romanians have left the region for Voltura. I have a feeling that if there are any members of the Volturan guard remaining, they wont be around for long. We're going to join the Romanian's in Italy and assist in bringing proper order back to the vampiric world. With the Volturi no longer in charge and the Romanian's assurance that they will leave your people in peace, your future generations shouldn't have any disruptions in their lives. But regardless, we will inform you in writing if there is ever any threat. We wont come near your land again."

Billy smiled. "We appreciate that."

"It has been an honour to share this land with you," Carlisle stated, holding out his hand towards Billy. After a mere second of hesitation, Billy shook it.

After letting go, Carlisle glanced back at the Cullen's around him. "I do have a few family members who wish to express their appreciation and to say their farewells."

While Bella moved forward with Edward at her side as she moved towards where Jacob and Jo stood, Liz looked up at Rosalie. She caught the woman's eye before she said a soft, "thank you". Rosalie smiled and nodded, before her attention turned to where Bella was speaking to Jacob.

Liz knew she wouldn't have expected any more than that. Just simply being able to express her gratitude to a woman who didn't need to show her any kindness was enough.

Liz turned to see Bella pass Jacob an envelope.

"Can you give this to my Dad? Tell him that I know things will never be the same with us again, but if he wants to contact me, feel free," she told him.

Jacob nodded, taking the envelope.

While Bella moved to stand back beside Edward, the man looked over at Nate, before turning back to Jacob.

"I don't think that I need to tell you that you're a lucky man," Edward said.

Jacob reached blindly beside him for Jo's hand, instantly finding it.

"Take care, Jacob."

"Thanks Edward," he told him.

Slowly and one by one, the Cullen's disappeared into the woods, leaving the two packs with their elder alone beside a wood pile.

"Now what?" Paul suddenly said, breaking the silence. "I think this is the first time in over twenty years that we don't have any leeches to worry about living in the area or coming after our family."

Billy smiled. "I know what you all can do - you can live again."

* * *

 ** _A/N - I have one more chapter of this to go...and it's nearly complete. So, while I'm finishing up, please review._**

 ** _Also, my brain is already turning for another possible story idea. I know some of you didn't like how I portrayed Bella and frankly, I disliked it as well. Unfortunately, the character already has so many issues that it was hard not to go in the direction that I went. I'm wanting to redeem her by suddenly shifting direction part way through 'New Moon' and going onward from thereand make her more 3 dimensional rather than the character that Mayer made her to be. Jacob/Bella followers can rejoice, because I'd be going that way. Let me know what you think._**

 ** _My other option would be to go back to my Batman Begins experience and pull something out of there...we shall see...decisions, decisions...help me make em!_**


	38. Chapter 38

_**A/N -I thought I'd put this at the beginning rather than the end, cause who really reads these things anyways, right? I wanted to thank my faithful reviewers who had been there along the entire way(you know who you are), reviewing nearly every chapter, giving me inspiration. Did you guys know that a lot of your comments created scenes and ideas along the way that I never really considered? I didn't have a Beta reader while doing this, so those comments really helped me.**_

 _ **So, here we are at the end of the sequel. I hope you enjoyed it and consider joining me again on my next project. As I've already started it, it looks like it'll be diving into the M category this time. Technically speaking, according to FF, Shelter in the Storm and Flesh and Blood should have been M, but we're cutting hairs here.**_

 _ **Next story already has a title - Without You - and as I like to avoid cliche'd storylines, this one may come across like one, but I assure you, it wont be. It starts mid-New Moon and although certain plots may come from New Moon and Eclipse, it wont follow that storyline. It will be Jacob/Bella and I know some of you wont be thrilled with that...but again, I can promise you that starting mid-New Moon this Bella isn't like in the books...she'll be getting over Edward and start living again and her world will no longer be focused on herself and her breakup. It'll be refreshing... so, i hope that you'll be willing to follow me into that next story.**_

 _ **Until then...enjoy...oh, and review one last time. :)**_

* * *

 _ **4 years later**_

"Will you stop pacing!?" Liam exclaimed from where he did his homework at the kitchen table. "You're driving me crazy."

"I've got five more minutes," Nate mumbled aloud to himself. "I can do this. I can do this."

Liam groaned in frustration and dropped his pen on his notebook.

"Nate! Shut up! Either go over to the Uley's and just ask him or go bug someone else with your constant ramblings. I'm trying to study for my final exams and you are not helping!"

"Hey! What's going on?" Sarah demanded, walking in the front door. Her hair was pulled up in a messy pony tail on her head while her t-shirt and jean shorts were covered in grease.

Liam gestured to his older brother with his thumb. "Casanova here is freaking out about asking Mr. Uley if he can marry Liz."

Sarah rolled her eyes. "Oh my God, Nate! He'll say yes."

"You don't know that! He could have changed his mind over the years."

"Come on! Did you ever give him reason to?"

Nate winced, recalling the time Sam caught him climbing out of Liz's bedroom window naked. As much as he tried to explain that he had just phased back and had forgotten his clothes somewhere in the woods, Sam wasn't about to believe him. While Sam hadn't phased in over two years, he opted for the shot gun over his mantle and shot at Nate just as he phased back into a wolf in the woods. All the while, Liz was yelling at Sam to stop. The humourous story circulated among Nate's small pack and he was teased mercilessly about it for days.

"Maybe."

Jacob came into the house, and headed for the kitchen to wash his hands, appearing just as filthy as his daughter.

"Oh, are we talking about the time Sam shot you with his shot gun for sneaking out of Liz's room in the middle of the night?"

Nate's eyes widened while both his siblings began to cackle with laughter.

"How did you hear about that?"

Jacob snorted. "I'm an Alpha."

"Dad, you haven't phased in years," Liam told him, still chuckling.

"It doesn't mean that I still don't know what goes on in the life of my pack." He paused and pointed to the three in the room. "And that includes my kids. Remember that you two."

He finished cleaning up and put his hand on Nate's shoulder.

"But I wouldn't worry too much about it," Jacob said, before a smile broke out on his face. "Just make sure he's unarmed when you talk to him."

Nate snorted and rolled his eyes. "Thanks Dad."

Nate walked through the woods to make his way over to the Uley's house. He had timed his visit perfectly - Liz had just left for her work at the tribal clinic, Talon was out with his girlfriend and Shawn was on his way to study with Liam. Nate wrung his hands together as he stepped onto the Uley's front porch. Before he even raised his hand to knock, he sensed someone coming around the house. He turned in time to see Emily with a bucket and sponge while Sam was coming up behind her, pulling the hose from the side of the house. Based on where the pickup was positioned in front of the house, it was obvious that they were going to be washing their truck.

Emily smiled upon seeing Nate standing on the porch.

"Hey Nate," she said, genuinely pleased to see her daughter's boyfriend. "You're late. You just missed her."

"Actually," Nate began, stepping off the porch, "I came to see Mr. Uley."

As though a light suddenly went off in her head, she smiled broadly and tapped Sam on the back, mentioning that she'll get them something to eat before they work on washing the truck. In fact, Jo had hinted towards Emily that Nate may be coming over to pay Sam a visit within the next month. Both women had been secretly contemplating if Nate would be bold enough to ask Sam for his permission to ask Liz to marry him. Seeing as though they had been right in assuming that he would, Emily wanted to make herself scarce. It was obvious that Nate was nervous and for that reason, he made Sam anxious as well.

Having sensed that foreboding tone in Nate's voice, Sam put down the hose before he crossed his arms.

"What's this about?"

Nate took a deep breath.

"Well, you know that I'm managing part time at Sue's restaurant and Liz got that job working as a nurse at the clinic on the reservation. I know that I'm living at home right now but that's going to change soon. It was just decided just last night - Grandpa is going to be moving in with my folks and he's giving me his house. I know that it needs a new roof and a few windows have to be replaced, but I have enough saved for that."

He took one more deep breath.

"Sam, I love Liz with everything within me and I'd like to have your permission to ask Liz to marry me."

Sam could hear Nate's heart beating out of his chest as he awaited his response. Although Sam had anticipated Nate asking Liz sometime soon if she'd marry him, he wasn't expecting Nate to approach him for permission. Honestly, Sam was speechless. He sighed and ran his hand over his face before he smiled.

"Can I ask you something?"

"Anything," Nate stated.

"What made you decide to come to me to ask my permission?"

Nate smiled meekly.

"While I know that it's a little old fashioned, I know that Liz would've appreciated it."

"So, you did this for her?"

He shrugged. "I suppose so."

A smile pulled at Sam's lips.

"You do know that marrying you is entirely her decision."

"I'm aware of that."

"Nate, I do appreciate you coming to ask me for permission and you don't need to tell me that you love her," Sam told him. "I'm very well aware of that."

With a smile, Sam extended his hand towards Nate.

"You have my blessing."

Nate let out a breath he seemed to have been holding and took Sam's hand.

"Thank you."

Sam couldn't help but chuckle at Nate's obvious relief. His entire demeanour seemed to have changed; he was relaxed once again.

"So, have you thought about how you're going to ask her?"

"I've got some ideas."

* * *

"I've forever decided that I'm no longer eating peas," Liz declared as she trekked through through the woods, carrying a flashlight ahead of her to light the path that Nate was walking on in front of her. "Quil brought in Joy today into the clinic. The girl had put peas into her nose to see if she how far she could shoot them out. I spent nearly fifteen minutes trying to dig them out of her nose. I teased her, telling her that if they stayed there they could sprout. I think I freaked her out enough so she wont do it again."

Nate chuckled as he walked.

"At least the rest of the day was pretty easy going."

"So, you're enjoying working at the clinic?"

"It's great! And Dr. Barnes is so easy to work with."

"That's good," Nate said, stopping to look up at the stars for a second to verify which direction to go.

"Are we lost?"

Nate looked over his shoulder at Liz and snorted. "Of course not."

Liz rolled her eyes. "What was I thinking!? I have a blood hound for a boyfriend."

"You have a wolf," Nate corrected with a smirk. "A sexy assed wolf."

"You got that right," Liz said huskily as she smacked his rear end. "And he's all mine."

With a playful snarl, Nate turned and bumped her into the tree behind her. The swift gesture caused her to drop the flashlight to the forest floor before her hands quickly rested on Nate's arms to steady herself in the darkness. Before she could say a word, his lips were on her own. Nate kissed her slowly, a deep moan escaping her lips before he broke away, leaving her wanting more.

"You tease," she said to him, as Nate let go of her. He passed Liz the flashlight that she had dropped. She shone it on his chest, the light making his face glow.

"We have to hurry."

He turned and continued along the path. Liz followed behind.

"Why?"

"Because if we don't, we'll miss it."

"Miss what?"

"You'll see."

They walked for another ten minutes before Liz noticed the tree's thin out and a thicket beginning to form, indicating that they were nearing an edge of a clearing. Nate pushed back the thicket out of her way, allowing her to make her way into the clearing. She paused when she saw the flickering of candles sitting around a blanket on the ground. A basket sat to one side and a small table was set up nearby with what looked like a small telescope.

"You set this up?"

Nate smiled, looking down at her. "Remember a few years ago, before our lives got a little stranger, I mentioned to you about a field within the woods that was perfect for stargazing?"

Liz nodded. "I think so."

"This is it."

Liz looked up at the sky, seeing the thousands of twinkling stars above them. Nate reached out and took her hand to lead her across the field towards the blanket.

"You made a picnic?"

Nate smiled sheepishly.

"Not really. It's just some bottled water and some cookies. Things to snack on."

Still, Liz smiled.

"It's perfect."

She looked over at the telescope. "Will you show me how to set it up?"

Excitedly, Nate began talking to her about how the refractor works and how to figure out where certain planets and stars were located given the time of year.

"There should be a small meteor shower coming through shortly," he told her. "Just keep looking towards the northeast."

While Liz was looking into the telescope, moving it and adjusting the clarity, Nate could feel the ring in his pocket boring a hole into his thigh. He had been contemplating all afternoon and evening on when he should ask her. They had spent the day together; much of the morning and afternoon had been spent on the beach before Nate told her he had a surprise for her when it gets dark. Nate hadn't found the perfect moment until he saw her looking into the telescope, her entire focus on waiting for the meteors to show up in the sky.

Nate stepped back from where she was leaning over, her eyes looking into the viewfinder as she slowly adjusted the dials.

"I think I saw something," she said.

"Liz?"

"Hold on, Nate. It was just there. Just a little bit..."

"Liz."

"Nate, hold on!"

"Liz!"

With his insistent tone, she sighed and turned around, ready to ask him what was so urgent that couldn't wait. But her mind drew a total blank when she saw Nate on his knee in front of her. Liz backed up, surprised and bumped into the table behind her. Reacting quickly, she turned just as Nate shot up swiftly and caught the telescope from the opposite side of the table, preventing it from crashing onto the ground.

"I'm so sorry," Liz said. "This was my fault."

"It's no big deal, Liz. It didn't hit the ground," Nate said, repositioning the telescope back on the table. "I shouldn't have startled you like that."

She paused and watched him as it appeared as though he was adjusting the stand. Liz knew that he was avoiding making eye contact with her.

"Nate, what were you just doing?"

In her heart, Liz knew exactly what Nate was doing, but her mind couldn't comprehend that it was...or had actually happened and had to hear it from his lips.

With both hands resting on the table, he looked up at her in the scarcely lit field. He snorted.

"Obviously just making a mess of something. Just forget about it."

Liz shook her head. "I can't. I need to know what you were doing. Please."

Nate sighed.

"I was going to ask you to marry me."

Liz couldn't help but allow a smile to come to her face. "Then why don't you?"

"You saw what just happened," Nate said, gesturing to the table in frustration. "I wanted to make the moment memorable for you and that didn't happen."

Liz laughed and shook her head, quickly coming up to Nate. "Are you kidding me? You did all this with the intention of asking me to marry you and you think that it's not memorable?"

Nate chuckled.

"It didn't go according to what I was hoping for. I wanted to surprise you but you weren't supposed to bump into the telescope."

"Well, you did surprise me. And as much as it didn't go according to what you were hoping for, this right here," she said, gesturing to each of them, "this is what is making this day so memorable. I'll remember all of this - you and me, the telescope, the foiled proposal attempt, the candles, all of it. There's only one thing that could make it better."

"And what's that?"

"If you get back on your knee again."

Nate smirked before he cleared his throat and took a step back from Liz before going back down onto his knee.

Although it wasn't as he had originally planned, Liz still felt the giddy excitement in knowing what was about to happen.

"Elizabeth Uley, for as long as I can remember, I've always had a crush on you. You were the girl with pig tails who wasn't afraid to get her hands dirty in the sand. You were the voice of reason when it came to keeping me out of trouble. I would defend your honour against invisible monsters. I got jealous when another guy would show interest in you. As much as I resented that it took an imprint to cause me to realize that I loved you, I wouldn't change a thing. You are my air when I'm drowning and I couldn't live another day without you in my life. I want you with me for the rest of my life."

As he spoke, he fumbled with his pocket. Nate paused for a second before he finally pulled the ring from his pocket. It was a simple gold band with a single, small diamond on it. He had worked for nearly two months, including every other weekend in order to pay for it but it was worth Liz's expression on her face.

"Yes!" She shouted.

Nate laughed. "I didn't even ask you yet."

"Then hurry up and ask."

"Liz, will you marry me?"

Liz put her hand over his that was holding the ring and bent over, kissing his lips. Nate smiled against her lips and stood up, the ring still within his thumb and forefinger and beneath Liz's palm.

With her other arm, she reached up and wrapped it around his neck, pulling herself up to his height. She broke the kiss and smiled.

"Yes."

Nate quickly slid the ring onto Liz's finger before she jumped up once again and kissed him.

In the distance a sudden and piercing howl echoed throughout the woods. The sound caused Liz to suddenly break the kiss, looking concerningly into the woods.

Nate growled, following her gaze. "It's the guys. The jerks must've been spying."

Liz looked back at him and smiled, reaching up and tipping her head back towards her.

"Let them," she whispered, pulling Nate back down to kiss her.

A chorus of howls filtered through the woods, echoing throughout La Push all the way to Forks.


End file.
